Verizon sues Cablevision over set-top box patents

Verizon's ongoing rivalry with New York-based Cablevision became even more contentious this week as the telco, which has been aggressively attacking the MSO's hometown New York market with FTTP services, filed a patent-infringement case with the U.S. International Trade Commission to prevent Cablevision from supplying certain set-top boxes to their subscribers.

The lawsuit alleges that Cablevision is violating five of Verizon's digital set-top box patents that enable users to download video, check, play games, check weather and conduct social networking. Verizon also filed another lawsuit in Delaware asking for monetary damages. Each of the lawsuits are focused on preventing Cablevision from selling these certain set-top boxes, which Verizon had earlier agreed to license to Cablevision.   

Since Verizon started to aggressively expand its FiOS presence in New York, its rivalry with dominant cable MSO Cablevision has continued to mount with the latest battle centered around access to HD content on Cablevisoin's MSG network.  

For more:
- CED has this article

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