Open Markets Applauds Federal Court Ruling Against Qualcomm, a Victory Against Monopoly Power

Washington, D.C. — Open Markets Institute applauds the ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh siding with the Federal Trade Commission against Qualcomm in a major antitrust suit.

Qualcomm unlawfully suppressed competition in the market for cell phone chips and used its dominant position to charge excessive licensing fees. According to the Wall Street Journal, Judge Koh found that Qualcomm violated antitrust law, charging unreasonably high royalties for its patents and eliminating rivals.

“Judge Koh ruled that Qualcomm’s licensing practices have strangled competition. Competitors, equipment manufacturers, and consumers have been harmed,” said Open Markets Director of Enforcement Strategy Sally Hubbard. “The FTC did a great job bringing suit against the corporation. We hope to see more cases challenging unfair licensing practices and exclusive agreements.”