August 6, 2002 — (WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) — Data and communications service provider BellSouth Corporation (BellSouth.com) charged competitive carrier Access Integrated Networks Inc. (AccessComm.com) on Monday with using false and misleading sales practices, saying that it is filing a motion in US District Court seeking an injunction against the company.
BellSouth says it is asking the court to stop AIN from infringing on its trademarks and from falsely associating BellSouth with its products and services.
“We’ve attempted to resolve our concerns with AIN directly but, unfortunately, to no satisfactory conclusion,” says David Scobey, president of BellSouth Small Business Services. “The intent of the lawsuit is to stop these deceptive and fraudulent acts, which have resulted in confused and angry customers, lost business opportunities for legitimate providers and ill-gotten benefits to AIN.”
The complaint alleges that AIN has misrepresented its relationship with BellSouth in its marketing. BellSouth believes the misinformation was given in order to give the impression that AIN is sponsored by r affiliated with BellSouth.
According to BellSouth, the complaint also charges that AIN has distributed print material designed to look like BellSouth?s own marketing and sales materials.
