Tandberg ASA and PictureTel Corp are now embroiled in a messy court battle, following Tandberg’s acquisition of NuVision Technologies Inc, one of Picturetel’s largest resellers (CI No 3,352). Tandberg sued PictureTel earlier this month, alleging various acts of slander, tort of interference and intentionally issuing false statements. PictureTel has objected to an advertisement that appeared in the Wall Street Journal on February 9, and won a court injunction stopping Tandberg from using its name or confidential pricing information. The two, former partners, have been slugging it out in the videoconferencing market over the last year, since Tandberg acquired CBCI Telecom Inc last year (CI No 3,160), acquired NuVision, and hired Joseph Bane, former senior channel director for PictureTel. Tandberg claims to have reduced PictureTel’s US market share in the US.
