February 29, 2008 -- (WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) -- Telecommunications provider Level 3 Communcations (level3.com) announced on Thursday that it has entered into a long-term patent cross-license agreement with IBM (ibm.com).
Under the terms of the agreement, IBM granted Level 3 licenses to approximately 42,000 pending and issued patents which cover a broad range of telecommunications services and technologies. In turn, Level 3 has also granted IBM licenses to those of its more than 850 pending and issued patents, covering a broad range of information handling systems. The licenses will last as long as the lives of the respective patents, say the companies. Other terms of the cross-license agreement were not disclosed.
"IBM enjoys a widely recognized reputation of innovation and invention for technologies related to telecommunications, networking, media and entertainment," says Dan Cerutti, IBM's general manager of intellectual property. "With this cross license, we look forward to deepening our relationship with Level 3, and reaping with them all the benefits of collaboration."
Earlier this week, Level 3 Communications Content Markets Group signed a multi-year contract with the National Hockey League to support the organization's video, high-speed IP and content delivery service needs.
