Microsoft pressuring Google to honor existing Nortel licenses

Software maker Microsoft is putting up a strong opposition to Google’s intentions to buy a wireless patent portfolio belonging to the now bankrupt Canadian telecommunications firm Nortel, arguing that any new owner of the intellectual property should honor their existing “worldwide, perpetual, royalty-free license to all of Nortel’s patents”, reports Reuters.

Under the terms of that sale agreement, which will likely face competing bids from many of the world’s largest tech companies, Google would be given the right to terminate existing agreements.

Google in April announced intentions to bid $900 million on Nortel’s patent trove, the move some deemed as the search giant’s attempt to buy its way out of patent mess related to Android.

More than six thousand Nortel patents grouped into six “buckets” are said to be worth more than a billion dollars. The deadline for bids is Monday, June 20, by 4pm Eastern time. The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that other tech giants are opposing the bid, including gadget maker Apple, chip giant Intel, computer vendor Hewlett-Packard, handset makers Motorola Mobility and Research in Motion, Sweden’s Telefon AB L.M. Ericsson and China’s ZTE Corp.