self assembled struc writes "BCGI has been found guilty of infringing on pay-as-you-go wireless patents owned by Freedom Wireless. This means that cellular providers who use BCGI pay-as-you-go billing systems must immediately stop selling new service. For the next 90 days, as they wind down their service, they will have to pay Freedom Wireless 2.5 cents per airtime minute used PER CUSTOMER. This heralds a farewell to Cingular's Go Phone and Sprint-Nextel's Boost services, both powered by BCGI." Federal Court Shuts Down Pay As You Go Wireless Log in/Create an Account | Top | 239 comments (Spill at 50!) | Index Only | Search Discussion Display Options Threshold: -1: 239 comments 0: 235 comments 1: 173 comments 2: 111 comments 3: 41 comments 4: 27 comments 5: 19 comments Flat Nested No Comments Threaded Oldest First Newest First Highest Scores First Oldest First (Ignore Threads) Newest First (Ignore Threads) The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way. I'm using Cingular's Go Phone (Score:5, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 18, @08:29PM (#13822857) For wireless dial-up access, and I haven't noticed any [ Reply to ThisYou guys have this all mixed up, only TDMA service by tomcio (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @10:47PMRe:You guys have this all mixed up, only TDMA serv by stupidfoo (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @11:33PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. America (Score:5, Insightful) by Monkelectric (546685) <slashdot.monkelectric@com> on Tuesday October 18, @08:31PM (#13822868) (http://www.monkelectric.com/) Where you can patent something obvious, and then prevent someone else from doing that obvious thing.Lets hang our heads in shame. [ Reply to This Re:America (Score:5, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 18, @08:38PM (#13822930) *shrug* yeah. I've long since realised the whole concept of freedom in the US is lip service to some ideal everyone would like, and everyone has convinced themselves they have, but has long since left on the wings of excess litigation, patents, government regulations and stupid laws. It wasn't until I left here for three years that I saw the reality is not much difference in many places overseas, but at least they're not running around spouting the "we're free" rhetoric and believing it.The patent system is part of that whole demise, where so much is said about it being a good thing to protect innovation, but the reality is the opposite. Guess people are really good at convincing themselves what they say is true, and be damned working towards what's said. Walk the walk, etc. [ Reply to This | ParentRe:America by Koil (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @08:44PM Re:America (Score:4, Interesting) by mattkinabrewmindspri (538862) on Tuesday October 18, @11:11PM (#13823784) Apparently they patented the idea of using a database to keep track of your wireless usage [boston.com]: Freedom Wireless, a four-person company, has never set up an actual business serving customers; it seeks royalties from companies like BCGI, Verizon Wireless, and Nextel Communications Inc. At the heart of Freedom's 1996 patent is the idea of using a computer to match a cellphone number with a database showing how many paid-up minutes the cellphone owner has, then deciding whether to complete a call. I guess no one's ever thought up that particular use for a database before... [ Reply to This | ParentRe:America by Saeed al-Sahaf (Score:2) Wednesday October 19, @12:04AMRe:America by Jekler (Score:2) Wednesday October 19, @12:32AMFairness is a matter of perspective. by Saeed al-Sahaf (Score:2) Wednesday October 19, @12:42AMRe:America by NoGuffCheck (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @10:40PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.say it is not so. by twitter (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @08:41PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:America by d34thm0nk3y (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @08:45PMRe:America by Discopete (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @11:24PMRe:America by Discopete (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @11:30PMWell.... by raehl (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @08:52PMRe:Well.... by ericpi (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @09:01PMRe:Well.... by Fareq (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @09:14PMRe:Well.... by Meagermanx (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @09:56PMRe:Well.... by negative3 (Score:2) Wednesday October 19, @12:07AMRe:Well.... by MikeFM (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @09:09PMRe:Well.... by Martin Blank (Score:2) Wednesday October 19, @12:59AM"Stealing" by informed_opinion (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @09:13PM2 replies beneath your current threshold. Re:America (Score:5, Insightful) by cpu_fusion (705735) on Tuesday October 18, @09:07PM (#13823126) Yes, let's hang our heads in shame. For a moment.Then let's get active and do something about this. If thousands of geeks can't manage to communicate to the millions of Americans how REDICULOUS this crap is, how it enslaves them financially, the injustice of it all .. if we can't communicate that with the INTERNET available, well then we deserve what we have.Oh wait. I got to go play World of Warcraft. Nevermind. [ Reply to This | ParentRe:America by afabbro (Score:3) Tuesday October 18, @10:42PMRalsky to the rescue? by HermanAB (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @10:57PMRe:America by Tamerlan (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @11:07PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Re:America (Score:5, Insightful) by Geoffreyerffoeg (729040) on Tuesday October 18, @09:18PM (#13823192) Sorry, but you forgot the word "method".America, where you can patent a method of doing something obvious, and then prevent someone else from picking that method out of the many ways to do that obvious thing.Three cheers for forced innovation.Now if only the patent office knew how to figure out what could be innovated upon - indeed, what patents would encourage innovation, by protecting the innovators and forcing other people to develop alternate methods with useful side results - and what is actually obvious and can't be done differently.But I'm inclined to think that there isn't just one way to run pay-as-you-go. For example, you could transfer the whole balance to the phone in some encrypted manner, or you could have the phone check every minute whether the balance expired. You could keep its own true account, or you can model it as a phone with infinite airtime and a forced calling card. And so forth. There's more than one way to skin a prepaid cat. [ Reply to This | Parent Re:America (Score:4, Funny) by thegrassyknowl (762218) on Tuesday October 18, @09:27PM (#13823240) Where you can patent something obvious, and then prevent someone else from doing that obvious thing.You are infringing on my patent:My idea is the generic method of using a muscular diaphragm to apply force to a bag made of human tissue in order to draw air into and expel air from the bag for the purpose of respiration!Please pay me $0.025 for every breath you take. [ Reply to This | ParentRe:America by ecloud (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @09:31PMRe:America by pete6677 (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @11:27PMRe:America by rabid_c (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @09:57PMRe:America by eggbert.net (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @10:17PMsomething obvious by John Sokol (Score:3) Tuesday October 18, @10:35PMRe:something obvious by pboulang (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @11:28PMRe:America by aichpvee (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @10:59PMRe:America by FLEB (Score:1) Wednesday October 19, @12:28AM4 replies beneath your current threshold. Well... (Score:5, Funny) by Ceirren (849938) on Tuesday October 18, @08:31PM (#13822870) Looks like they'll be paying as they go!Hahahahaha [ Reply to ThisRe:Well... by Raelus (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @09:39PM So... (Score:5, Funny) by lenmaster (598077) on Tuesday October 18, @08:32PM (#13822884) I guess the name "Freedom Wireless" is an ironic choice. [ Reply to This Re:So... (Score:5, Funny) by wo1verin3 (473094) on Tuesday October 18, @08:36PM (#13822913) (http://slashdot.org/) Well it rolls off the tongue better then what they were originally going to name the company "Full of Nazi Patent Whores Wireless". [ Reply to This | ParentRe:So... by tom vendetta (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @09:58PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:So... by gad_zuki! (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @09:11PM Wait one second... (Score:5, Funny) by NETHED (258016) on Tuesday October 18, @08:34PM (#13822891) (http://www.chem.umass.edu/) I read the article. Is this for EVERYONE in the country? What will happen for all the users of these phones. What about tracfone, they've been at it for YEARS, does this affect them? I need clarification or some unfounded speculation, both would be nice. [ Reply to This Re:Wait one second... (Score:5, Insightful) by bypedd (922626) on Tuesday October 18, @08:42PM (#13822947) (http://www.trialclix.com/index.asp?refID=184486) Furthermore there's the issue of all those people who will be out of a phone, possible their only one. I'm sure they won't be getting a sweet deal switching over to the patent-holding company - Shooting the competition in the back of the head is a perfect way to clear the path to raised prices for consumers forced to switch.It's a shame that laws originally intended to protect individuals or the little guys get turned into legal feeding grounds that do nothing but hurt the consumer and the diversity of the marketplace. [ Reply to This | ParentShooting the competition in the back of the head by Gojira Shipi-Taro (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @08:47PMRe:Wait one second... by sumdumass (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @10:52PM Doesn't affect everyone (Score:5, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 18, @09:16PM (#13823177) From another Reuters story [reuters.com] on this topic: Cingular Wireless spokesman Mark Siegel said the injunction does not apply to the "vast majority" of Cingular's prepaid wireless customers, who use a different type of network technology. [ Reply to This | Parent1 reply beneath your current threshold.1 reply beneath your current threshold. One Word.... (Score:4, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 18, @08:34PM (#13822894) BULLSHIT!!!You'll NEVER stop me from getting FREE WIFI off of my Pringles Can!!!Take THAT FCC!!! [ Reply to ThisRe:One Word.... by ari_j (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @10:00PMScared the shoit out of me... by linuxinit (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @08:35PMRe:Scared the shoit out of me... by Dashing Leech (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @08:48PMRe:Scared the shoit out of me... by linuxinit (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @10:19PMRe:Scared the shoit out of me... by x.Draino.x (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @10:43PMRe:Scared the shoit out of me... by linuxinit (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @10:47PM After hearing the verdict (Score:4, Funny) by Koil (786141) on Tuesday October 18, @08:37PM (#13822918) He then turned and walked defiantly from the court room, only to sheepishly return and ask "Um....anyone have a cell phone?? I need to call my lawyer." [ Reply to ThisThere goes my phone by crossconnects (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @08:38PMRe:There goes my phone by Stevyn (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @09:18PMRe:There goes my phone by sumdumass (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @11:01PMumm... your garbage bill? by tepples (Score:1) Wednesday October 19, @12:06AMI wanna play, too! by sockonafish (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @08:40PMRe:I wanna play, too! by xerid (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @09:01PM For the sake of free market.. (Score:4, Funny) by cybrthng (22291) <byronmhomeNO@SPAMyahoo.com> on Tuesday October 18, @08:41PM (#13822944) (http://www.mozdex.com/ | Last Journal: Friday October 31, @01:16PM) I hope we can rely on federal court to rid us of these patented monopolies. [ Reply to ThisRe:For the sake of free market.. by Androk (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @09:44PMRe:For the sake of free market.. by Anonymous Coward (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @10:03PM Business Model Patents Suck! (Score:5, Insightful) by N8F8 (4562) on Tuesday October 18, @08:46PM (#13822976) business model patents [google.com] really are the great evil of the patent world. See it strangling industry after industry. [ Reply to This Re:Business Model Patents Suck! (Score:5, Funny) by bani (467531) on Tuesday October 18, @08:53PM (#13823033) and this is a bad thing? i see it as a perfect way to destroy the RIAA and MPAA. [ Reply to This | ParentRe:Business Model Patents Suck! by ZachPruckowski (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @09:49PMMusic And Film Industry Association of America by tepples (Score:2) Wednesday October 19, @12:09AMRe:Business Model Patents Suck! by jftitan (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @10:40PMwhy pay? by Anonymous Coward (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @08:52PMText of Reuters Article by Anonymous Coward (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @08:54PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Background on Litigants, from Wall Street Journal (Score:5, Interesting) by Landaras (159892) <neil@wehneman.com> on Tuesday October 18, @08:55PM (#13823041) (http://www.lifeofalawstudent.com/) I remember reading about this case a few weeks ago in the Wall Street Journal. The article was entitled "Patent litigants pose growing threat to business."The first paragraph brought to light one of Freedom Wireless' founder's criminal past (it involved stolen cars) as well as the fact that the founders had previously gone after GTE for similar issues (alleging stolen trade secret). GTE ended up getting paid $90,000 in legal fees, a statement that GTE had never stolen a trade secret, and a promise never to sue GTE again. Fast forward a few years. Freedom Wireless currently does nothing but patent ligitation. These men are patent trolls.The Wall Street Journal charges for their archives, but the full text of the same article is available here [post-gazette.com]. - Neil Wehneman [ Reply to This I use Virgin Mobile... (Score:5, Funny) by NeuroManson (214835) on Tuesday October 18, @08:58PM (#13823066) (http://slashdot.org/) Does this mean I'm screwed as well? [ Reply to ThisRe:I use Virgin Mobile... by gwait (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @09:05PMRe:I use Virgin Mobile... by dwater (Score:3) Tuesday October 18, @11:05PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Re:I use Virgin Mobile... (Score:5, Funny) by sdo1 (213835) on Tuesday October 18, @09:11PM (#13823140) (Last Journal: Tuesday April 08, @11:19PM) No, don't worry. By definition, you're not getting screwed. [ Reply to This | Parent Whew! Safe! (Score:4, Informative) by Macgruder (127971) <cdwilliamson AT att DOT net> on Tuesday October 18, @08:58PM (#13823070) From the summary: "This heralds a farewell to Cingular's Go Phone and Sprint-Nextel's Boost services, both powered by BCGI."In regards to Cingular, not exactly.Cingular has two forms of prepaid service (GoPhone).One is 'Pick-Your-Plan'. You have a reoccuring monthly charge on your credit or debit card which gives you a monthly allowence for service.The other is 'Pay-As-You-Go'. You buy a prepaid card off the rack, and use that to make your calls on your cell. As you use it up, you replace the card. That's the part that will be affected by this ruling. [ Reply to ThisRe:Whew! Safe! by Raelus (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @09:51PMRe:Whew! Safe! ?GSM by gweg (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @10:14PMRe:Whew! Safe! by squiggleslash (Score:3) Tuesday October 18, @10:23PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Whew! Safe! by EvanED (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @09:41PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. It's as crazy as it sounds (Score:5, Informative) by Mostly a lurker (634878) on Tuesday October 18, @08:58PM (#13823072) The patents is question are 5,722,067 filed in 1998 [freedom-wireless.net] and 6,157,823 filed in 2000 [freedom-wireless.net]. [ Reply to ThisRe:It's as crazy as it sounds by krbvroc1 (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @09:41PMRe:It's as crazy as it sounds by sstidman (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @09:45PMRe:It's as crazy as it sounds by Waffle Iron (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @10:00PM2 replies beneath your current threshold.Re:It's as crazy as it sounds by phlegmofdiscontent (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @11:34PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Might be a good thing... (Score:5, Insightful) by PAPPP (546666) on Tuesday October 18, @08:59PM (#13823075) Although this is immediately disgusting, in the not-so-long-run this might end up being a good thing, this is putting a kink in Sprint/Verison and Cingular's (the big mean companies with nearly inexhaustible legal resources) business model, who will likely lash out against it. If all goes well for them, it will end up creating a substantial precedent against this kind of business-method patent, which would inadvertently improve the patent law situation in the U.S., if we're lucky it might even catalyze a wider reform. [ Reply to ThisRe:Might be a good thing... by iamnafets (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @09:35PMRe:Might be a good thing... by sstidman (Score:3) Tuesday October 18, @09:50PMRe:Might be a good thing... by PAPPP (Score:3) Tuesday October 18, @09:53PMRe:Might be a good thing... by arantius (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @10:50PMSeems like an excellent rallying cry for reform by LetterRip (Score:3) Tuesday October 18, @09:02PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.The system works! by KarmaBlackballed (Score:3) Tuesday October 18, @09:03PMRe:The system works! by iggymanz (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @09:38PMRe:The system works! by Pichu0102 (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @11:11PMExplains the expensive broadband. by saj_s (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @09:06PMOn the other hand... by gui_tarzan2000 (Score:3) Tuesday October 18, @09:17PMThe "invention" by Mostly a lurker (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @09:18PMRe:The "invention" by Gleenie (Score:1) Wednesday October 19, @12:04AMIf I wasn't feeling under the weather... by elgee (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @09:23PMDoes this extend to Paypal etc...? by mikael (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @09:28PMMore freedom in Communist Vietnam! by Tracy Reed (Score:3) Tuesday October 18, @09:31PMMaybe it is time to really really break the system by bturnip (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @09:41PMRe:Maybe it is time to really really break the sys by Tmack (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @10:31PMWhy wind down? by Starji (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @09:43PMBoost Mobile dead within 90 days? by crimethinker (Score:3) Tuesday October 18, @09:44PMRe:Boost Mobile dead within 90 days? by phillymjs (Score:3) Tuesday October 18, @09:50PMFirefly mobile?! by Krozy (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @09:47PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Easy patent reform: by laughingcoyote (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @09:52PMRe:Easy patent reform: by Nicholas Schumacher (Score:1) Wednesday October 19, @12:33AMIgnorant juries by rollingcalf (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @09:57PMGood Supporting Article . . . Lots more Detail by Anonymous Coward (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @10:13PMdon't you just love it by metotalk (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @10:18PMumm... laches anyone? by tepples (Score:1) Wednesday October 19, @12:16AMNot the first by HangingChad (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @10:19PM2.5 cents per minute per customer? by Frodo Crockett (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @10:23PMso... by Mister White (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @10:24PMHOLY CRAP! by clambake (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @10:24PMnot good by luther349 (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @10:48PMMutually Assured Unprofitable Litigation by Chris Snook (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @10:51PMRe:Mutually Assured Unprofitable Litigation by Lehk228 (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @10:56PMThis helps Cingular bury TDMA service by Sparkle (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @10:57PMRe:This helps Cingular bury TDMA service by SydShamino (Score:2) Wednesday October 19, @12:32AMIt's TDMA only by tube013 (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @10:57PMNice FUD by kesuki (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @10:57PMRe:Nice FUD by squiggleslash (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @11:02PMargg the death of innovation by deiong (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @11:29PMpatenting pre-paid food by FlippyTheSkillsaw (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @11:55PMEminent Domain? by serutan (Score:2) Wednesday October 19, @12:11AMRe:Eminent Domain? by iamlucky13 (Score:2) Wednesday October 19, @12:37AMyoure all getting sued. by dana340 (Score:1) Wednesday October 19, @12:17AMOnce again.... by PortHaven (Score:2) Wednesday October 19, @12:34AMOOO MONEY by crashelite (Score:1) Wednesday October 19, @12:38AMThe motive seems obvious... by Gloggy (Score:1) Wednesday October 19, @12:42AMRe:Dollars to doughnuts... by crossconnects (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @08:41PMRe:Dollars to doughnuts... by crossconnects (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @09:04PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Re:Dollars to doughnuts... (Score:4, Insightful) by wernercd (837757) on Tuesday October 18, @09:06PM (#13823122) (http://www.myspace.com/wernercd) And Democrats don't have greedy self serving hypocrits in their party? or do you honestly believe that Clinton wasn't a greedy, self-serving hypocrit?For every republican you can find that's corrupt I can find a democrat...which goes to show that blaming the party affiliation in a situation is as retarded as pulling the race card (Which the majority of the time is bullshit). There are retards on both sides of the fence and blaming based on party don't fix OR address the real problems - or keep the threads on topic.If all you can say is 'it must be a republicans fault' your just showing your own ignorance. But... that's just my two cents [ Reply to This | ParentRe:Dollars to doughnuts... by DDumitru (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @11:08PMWhile I'll grant by rsilvergun (Score:2) Wednesday October 19, @12:03AM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Dollars to doughnuts... by SydShamino (Score:2) Wednesday October 19, @12:49AMRe:Dollars to doughnuts... by wernercd (Score:1) Wednesday October 19, @12:54AM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Dollars to doughnuts... by jcr (Score:2) Tuesday October 18, @08:42PMRe:Dollars to doughnuts... by joelsanda (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @08:47PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Dollars to doughnuts... by andreMA (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @09:03PMRe:Dollars to doughnuts... by An Onerous Coward (Score:1) Tuesday October 18, @09:49PM2 replies