Separate Lawsuit Claims Up To $1B For Predatory And Deceptive Practices

A federal jury in Delaware has ruled against Gogo Business Aviation and found the company liable for infringing four patents held by its competitor SmartSky Networks. The decision orders Gogo to pay $22.7 million in damages.

The patents cover technologies at the core of in-flight connectivity. With increasing numbers of passenger expecting reliable internet access during air travel, it is an area of growing importance.

SmartSky expressed satisfaction with the jury’s findings and see the decision as a validation of its investments in technology and strategic patent protections.

In a statement, Gogo said, “We are disappointed with today’s verdict and respectfully disagree with the outcome. From the outset, we have maintained that Gogo’s independently developed 5G technology does not infringe SmartSky’s asserted patents, and their claims of patent protection are invalid.

“We believe that the evidence supports our conclusion and that this litigation is an attempt to stifle legitimate competition and innovation in the aviation connectivity industry. We have strong grounds for appeal on both liability and damages, and we will vigorously pursue all available legal remedies, including post-trial motions and appeals.

“While we disagree with today’s verdict, it has no impact on our operations or the pending launch of our 5G service. As we work to resolve this matter fully, Gogo remains committed to delivering multi-orbit, multi-band in-flight connectivity technology and creating long-term value for our stakeholders.”

The setback in this lawsuit could end up being the least of Gogo’s worries, as SmartSky has another suit in the works that claims Gogo engaged in “predatory and deceptive practices” and could lead to damages approaching $1 billion.

FMI:  smartskynetworks.com/ , www.gogoair.com/