Qualcomm Chief Executive Paul Jacobs said on Thursday that talks with
Nokia on renewing a technology license may be helped by AT&T Inc.’s decision to use Qualcomm’s mobile television technology.AT&T’s Cingular Wireless, which already uses GSM mobile phones from Nokia, plans to add Qualcomm’s MediaFlo mobile TV chips to its phones.
The move could be a way to bring Nokia and Qualcomm together, Jacobs said at a Bank of America technology conference in New York.
Nokia, the world’s biggest mobile phone maker, and Qualcomm have been negotiating a renewal of a technology licensing agreement that expires April 9. They have disagreed over how much Qualcomm charges for technology licenses.
"The MediaFlo deal with Cingular is a new fact. Maybe there’s a way to find some new common ground there," Jacobs said.
However, on the sidelines of the conference, Jacobs said Nokia and Qualcomm had not discussed the matter, and their talks were still "pretty much at deadlock." He added that it may take external forces, such as legal action, for a resolution.
I call shenanigans.
Heavy duty shenanigans.