Rovi loses Ziggo patent case
July 18, 2011
Dutch cable operator Ziggo has emerged victorious from its lawsuit against Rovi according to the IE Forum – a platform for lawyers in intellectual property protection.
Rovi had accused Ziggo of violating its patent for an electronic programme guide. Ziggo claimed the Rovi patent was not valid and won support from the judge, who rejected Rovi’s claim. Rovi has reportedly been ordered to pay costs of €151,000.
Meanwhile, in Q2 results, Ziggo showed a 56,000 increase in digital TV subs. Revenue was €363.7 million, up 7.6 per cent versus Q2 2010 and adjusted EBITDA of €206.9 million, up 7.1 per cent versus Q2 2010.
“We are pleased to see that we are continuing to attract many new customers for our triple play services, validating our decision to invest in growth through raising internet speeds and focusing on customer satisfaction and the quality of our products. With 56,000 new customers watching digital TV, already two thirds of our TV subscribers now have access to the quality and diversity of our Digital TV package which will be enriched even further in September when we implement our new TV proposition.At the end of June, the independent Dutch telecom regulator (OPTA) concluded after thorough analysis that the TV market is sufficiently dynamic and does not require regulation. Within this competitive environment, we believe Ziggo is very well placed to continue its strong financial performance,” said Ziggo CEO Bernard Dijkhuizen