Telecoms giant AT&T and internet phone service provider
Vonage have settled a trade mark infringement suit brought over
AT&T's new internet phone service "CallVantage", according to
reports.10 Feb 2005
Vonage filed the suit in March 2004 shortly after the launch of the new service, claiming that the brand name and certain web addresses purchased by AT&T were too similar to its trade marks. They might confuse potential Vonage customers, alleged the suit.
According to reports, AT&T, which recently announced that it is to be taken over by its spin-off, SBC Communications, in a $16 billion deal, must now call the service "AT&T CallVantage".
This, says the telco, has always been the official brand name of the service.
"I can't help it if the media shortens the name – they do that all the time," AT&T spokesman Gary Morgenstern told CNET News.com.
Other details of the settlement were not disclosed.