Qualcomm Will Seek Immediate Stay and Appeal of FTC Ruling

Qualcomm announced that U.S. District Court Judge Lucy H. Koh issued a ruling in favor of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in the FTC’s litigation against the company. The judge ruled that Qualcomm violated antitrust law by abusing its dominant position in the market for cellphone chips to exact excessive licensing fees from phone makers and suppress competition.

The company plans to immediately seek a stay of the district court’s judgment and an expedited appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. “We strongly disagree with the judge’s conclusions, her interpretation of the facts and her application of the law,“ said Don Rosenberg, executive vice president and general counsel of Qualcomm.

Qualcomm will now look to an appeals process that historically has gone in its favor. They will also try to get possible intervention from the Trump administration, which is eager to ensure the U.S. company remains competitive in 5G technology.