Samsung Ordered To Pay $445.5M in Wireless Tech Patents Dispute

Samsung has been hit with another big courtroom loss in the United States. A federal jury in Marshall says the company owes Collision Communications nearly $445.5 million for using wireless technology covered by Collision’s patents, reports Reuters. According to the verdict, Samsung’s Galaxy phones, laptops, and other connected gadgets infringe on four patents tied to 4G, 5G, and Wi-Fi communication standards.

Collision Communications wins a hefty verdict against Samsung in patents dispute

If that sounds familiar, it’s because Samsung has been down this road before. The East Texas town of Marshall has become something of a legal hotspot for patent battles, especially ones aimed at major tech firms. The district’s juries have a reputation for siding with patent holders, and Samsung has taken several nine-figure hits there in recent years.

Collision Communications filed the lawsuit in 2023 accusing Samsung of copying technology meant to make wireless networks run more efficiently. The patents came from research originally done by BAE Systems, the defense contractor, although BAE isn’t involved in this case.

Samsung denied the accusations, arguing that the patents should never have been granted in the first place. The jury didn’t buy it and decided that Samsung’s products did, in fact, infringe on all four patents. Neither Samsung nor Collision has commented publicly since the verdict.

Patent fights like this have become background noise in the tech world. Mobile standards are getting more complicated, and so is the web of patents behind them. That’s why tech giants such as Samsung often end up in court. They can still appeal, but for now, it’s yet another setback.