Motorola Solutions, Huawei settle IP dispute

Motorola Solutions and China's Huawei Technologies have settled their legal dispute, the companies said Wednesday, paving the way for Motorola to complete a deal with Nokia Siemens Networks.

Motorola last year agreed to sell its wireless network business to NSN, a joint venture between Finland's Nokia and Germany's Siemens, for $1.2 billion but the deal was held up by the legal tussle with Huawei.

Huawei, a former Motorola partner, had asked a US District Court in Illinois, where Motorola has its headquarters, to block the transfer of Huawei-developed wireless and core network communications technology to NSN.

In January, Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman issued a temporary restraining order barring Motorola from turning over confidential Huawai intellectual property information to NSN.

Motorola sued Huawei in July, alleging it used Motorola employees to secure detailed confidential information about its cellular network equipment.

In a joint statement Wednesday, Motorola Solutions and Huawei said they have agreed to settle all pending litigation and withdraw all claims.

The settlement will allow Motorola Solutions to transfer its commercial agreements with Huawei to NSN for an unspecified fee, the statement said.

It will also allow NSN to "receive and use Huawei confidential information to service the networks Motorola deployed worldwide using Huawei's products and technologies," it said.

"We regret that these disputes have occurred between our two companies," Motorola Solutions president and chief executive Greg Brown said. "After reviewing the facts, we decided to resolve these matters and return to our traditional relationship of confidence and trust."

Guo Ping, Huawei's executive vice president, said the Chinese company "acted properly and above board at all times and developed its products independently and without the use of any Motorola trade secrets.

"With the resolution of these cases, and the misunderstandings put to rest, Huawei is pleased to move forward with its efforts to provide innovative solutions to its customers," the Huawei executive said.

Motorola split into two companies -- Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions -- on January 4.

(c) 2011 AFP