Alltel submits to Katz patent-licensing deal

Alltel Corp. has settled a patent suit with Los Angeles-based Ronald A. Katz Technology Licensing L.P., and agreed to pay an unspecified sum for a license on patents that Katz owns related to interactive voice applications.
The nonexclusive license “covers services offered by Alltel in the wireless field, including customer service delivered through automated systems and live agents,” according to Katz. The company said that it has more then 50 U.S. patents covering interactive technology, “including automated forms of customer service, securities trading, merchandising, prepaid services, telephone conferences, registration, (and) home shopping,” along with various uses of toll free and local numbers.
Katz said that more than 150 companies have license rights under its portfolio, including American Express, AT&T Inc., Sprint Nextel Corp., Home Shopping Network Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Verizon California Inc. and its affiliates.