AT&T is filing a patent lawsuit against Cox Communications

AT&T is going to war against Cox Communications over patents for network optimization technology. AT&T said it has been warning Cox about its use of the technology as far back as 2009; in addition, the Dallas-based carrier claims that Cox refused to talk to AT&T about licensing the technology. “Cox generates billions of dollars in revenue every year through its use of AT&T’s technologies,” the telecommunications giant said in the lawsuit filing.

AT&T is suing Cox Communications for infringing eight patents dealing with network quality after the regional cable provider ignored its complaints about the issue and made “billions” off of the technology, according to a new lawsuit. In the suit filed Friday in Delaware federal court against Cox and more than 30 of its regional units, AT&T said that Cox had been warned about the claims of patent infringement as far back as 2009. It said Cox delayed negotiations and refused to take a license for the technologies. AT&T claims the patents were infringed in Cox’s use and sale of digital video recorders, set top boxes, Internet and telephone systems, according to the lawsuit. The patents relate to methods for improving the quality and reducing the costs of telecommunications services, the suit said. AT&T said in the suit that Cox was also inducing its employees and subscribers to infringe.