Nortel patent portfolio sells for $4.5 billion

By Geoff Duncan July 1, 2011

Nortel headquarters Ottowa — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The sell-off of bankrupt Canadian telecom giant Nortel is reaching its end stages, with a multi-day auction of over 6,000 patents and patent applications belonging to the company selling to a consortium including Apple, Microsoft, RIM, and others for some $4.5 billion in cash. The patents cover a wide range of wireless, 4G, data networking, Internet, voice, optical, and semiconductor technologies.

“We are pleased at the outcome of the auction of this extensive patent portfolio”, said Nortel chief strategy officer George Riedel, in a statement. “The size and dollar value for this transaction is unprecedented, as was the significant interest in the portfolio among major companies around the world.”

The auction took place over several days, and Nortel expects the deal to close during the third quarter of this year. The winning consortium is made up of Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, RIM, and Sony. The members have not disclosed their levels of financial participation in the group, although Ericsson has said it put $340 million towards the deal.

The mammoth patent sale follows Google’ acquiring another block of Nortel patents in a $900 million “stalking horse” bid earlier this year that didn’t see any serious competitors. Nortel filed for bankruptcy in early 2009 and has been selling off its considerable assets to pay off creditors. Microsoft paid some $7.5 million for a large range of IPv4 Internet addresses controlled by Nortel.

Editors' Recommendations

Sony’s cartridge patent may describe a custom external SSD for the PlayStation 5

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

Computing

This Serta office chair is on sale from $360 to $230

The Serta Smart Layers Brinkley Manager Chair on a white background.

Are you on the hunt for office chair deals? Here's one that should help boost your productivity -- the Serta Smart Layers Brinkley Manager Chair for only $230, following a $130 discount from Lenovo on its original price of $360. We're not sure how much time is remaining before you lose the chance to get this office chair at 36% off though, so if you're interested in this offer, we highly recommend that you push through with the transaction as soon as possible. Any delay may cause you to miss out on this bargain.

Why you should buy the Serta Smart Layers Brinkley Manager Chair
For an office chair that provides both comfort and performance, you can't go wrong with the Serta Smart Layers Brinkley Manager Chair. It features five layers of foam with ComfortCoils that are individually wrapped, for the ability to provide relief on the critical pressure points of the body while maintaining pleasant temperatures even during extended use. The office chair's ergonomic design, lumbar support, and waterfall seat cushion makes it even more comfortable so you won't get body pains when your daily workload forces you to sit for several hours each day.

Computing

Best router deals: Save on mesh networks and Wi-Fi 6 routers

The Netgear Nighthawk AXE11000 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6E Router on a table.

If you haven't bought a router in a while, now is really the time to do it, as a lot of modern routers are better suited to a world where you might connect several devices to one router at the same time. In fact, part of the new Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E standards is built around the concept of the Internet of Things and connecting to dozens of devices. That's great if you have a lot of smart home gear you need to connect without getting a ton of latency; plus, the newer standard helps with working around congested airwaves where everybody has some form of router and Wi-Fi connection running.
Of course, there are a lot of routers to pick from out there, and if you don't have a lot of tech-savvy, it can be overwhelming. That's why we've gone out and found our favorite router deals that will give you the best bang for your buck, and that includes mesh router deals too.

Best Router Deals
TP-Link Archer AX3000 -- $83, was $130

Computing

HP is practically giving away this QHD conferencing display

The HP Z24m G3 QHD conferencing display on a white background.

Not all monitor deals will get you a display that's designed for conferencing purposes. If you were hoping to get one for cheap, check out this offer from HP -- a $359 discount for the HP Z24m G3 QHD conferencing display that pulls its price down to a very affordable $150 from its original price of $509. This 70% discount will only be available for a limited time though, so if you're interested in this screen, there should be no hesitation with your purchase. Add it to your cart and push forward with the checkout process immediately.

Why you should buy the HP Z24m G3 QHD conferencing display
HP Z24m G3 QHD conferencing display is equipped with helpful conferencing features, such as a 5MP webcam and noise-cancelling microphones so that you'll look and sound crystal clear during your online meetings, and recessed speakers that are located within the screen's borderless frame to help you follow discussions closely. The monitor is also equipped with HP Presence, which will let you access conferencing solutions that enable seamless connections, meeting optimizations, and real-time insights.