WebEx claims its rival registered domain names confusingly similar to its recently launched MyWebExPC service, which competes head to head with Citrix’s GoToMyPC.
The complaint, filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, claims Citrix unlawfully purchased several domain names containing WebEx trademarks. WebEx also said that previously Citrix had purchased other domain names containing WebEx’s AccessAnywhere trademark.
The complaint also alleges that Citrix used the domain names to divert potential customers who were looking for MyWebExPC, to the Citrix site.
The Santa Clara, California-based complainant is seeking injunctive relief to stop the activity, damages and attorneys fees although it declined to say what level of damages it was seeking.
Praful Shah, WebEx’s VP of online channels, said the case was black and white, and has been advised that it is a clear case of cybersquatting that violates federal law and was designed to decieve the public. The sheer number of websites [indicates] that it was a concentrated effort.
Shah said that Citrix registered the domain names in the period between WebEx filing the MyWebExPC trademark and announcing the service on January 24, 2004. Citrix used the URLs to redirect traffic to the Citrix GoToMyPC site.
WebEx is primarily involved in web conferencing but it is using aspects of the underlying technology to expand the type of services it can offer. The remote access capability was a small feature of its AccessAnywhere service that has now been pulled out and packaged as a full service for a new type of customer.
MyWebExPC allows individuals to access files and applications on remote computers over WebEx’s secure global WebEx MediaTone Network. To use the service users create an account on the MyWebExPC web site, install an agent on the PC they want to access and thereafter they can access the system from a web browser.
Until now, WebEx has concentrated on the large enterprise market but the MyWebExPC service marks its first attempt to move into the mass market, providing services to individuals and small to mid cap businesses.
We are taking the global MediaTone network and expanding it to provide a different set of services to individuals and small businesses. We are showing the capability of the network so that in future if they are looking at other services they will look at WebEx, said Shah.
We come in from a real time communications perspective and we know how to provide secure communications, he added, and said the WebEx service was differentiated from other offerings in the market because of the level of security and because it was available for free.
The new service competes directly with Citrix Online’s GoToMyPC service, as well as other offerings such as 3am Labs’ LogMeIn. A commercial difference is that whereas rivals charge a fee, the base level MyWebExPC service is free.
Citrix charges $19.95 per PC, per month, with 3am Labs charging $12.95. However, WebEx charges for the Pro version, which costs $9.95 per PC per month with an annual subscription plan.
The websites cited by WebEx appeared to be down or withdrawn following the announcement of lawsuit.
Citrix was unavailable for comment by the time we went to press.
