AT&T Co has filed a counterclaim charging MCI Communications Corp with the infringement of 10 AT&T patents covering enhancements to long distance services and advanced calling features: among these are patents on 800 Service features, Software Defined Network capabilities, and techniques for controlling toll fraud abuse and branding several types of telephone calls with an audible company logo; it is also seeking an injunction to prevent MCI trom infringing in the future on two patents covering the queing and routing of 800 calls among multiple locations and the control of toll fraud abuse; the actions are in response to MCI filing suit on December 21 asking the US. District Court and the Modified Final Judgement court to declare five of AT&T’s patents unenforceable on number of grounds; AT&T said it had wanted to settle the issue amicably and out of court, but MCI declined so ATT is also exploring remedies it may have under its Canadian patents with respect to MCI’s activities there.
