Nokia Lawsuit Charges LCD Makers With Price-Fixing
As a result of the alleged collusion to fix prices of liquid crystal displays, Finland-based Nokia said it paid too much for the displays it uses in its mobile phones, according to the suit filed Nov. 25 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in San Francisco.
The suit names LG Display Co., Samsung Electronics Co., Sharp Corp., Toshiba Corp. and AU Optronics Corp., among the defendants. Nokia also has filed a suit in the U.K. against some of the same defendants who make cathode ray tube (CRT) displays, according to a Bloomberg report.
Nokia does not cite a dollar figure for the alleged damages it suffered. The company said the price-fixing involved products it purchased between Jan. 1, 2006 and at least Dec. 11, 2006.
Nokia's U.S. suit follows an investigation by the U.S. Justice Department of display price-fixing that has already resulted in guilty pleas by several LCD manufacturers. It also comes on the heels of a similar lawsuit filed last month by AT&T against LCD makers in the same court.
"Nokia has filed suits to recover overcharges it paid as a result of cartel activities which are currently under government investigation," Nokia said in a statement. "When certain companies and management employees have already admitted participating in, or are indicted for, global price-fixing cartels involving components Nokia has purchased, it is reasonable for Nokia to seek redress."