Defendant
2 cases as defendant.
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Metaswitch Networks Ltd. (commonly "Metaswitch"; formerly Data Connection Ltd) is a UK-based telecommunications software company founded in 1981 by seven former IBM employees led by Ian Ferguson. It is headquartered in Enfield, England. Long privately held — Francisco Partners took a controlling stake in 2008 alongside Sequoia Capital — the company was acquired by Microsoft in July 2020 (reported at roughly $270 million), then sold by Microsoft to Utah-based cloud communications provider Alianza, a deal announced December 2024 and completed in March 2025. Metaswitch is now a subsidiary of Alianza. Headcount has been cited around 700 employees (2011 estimate); a reliable current figure is not available, and revenue is undisclosed.
Products / operations. Metaswitch developed carrier-grade, largely software-based communications infrastructure. Its Carrier Systems line included softswitches, the MetaSphere call feature server, the Rhino Telephony Application Server, IMS core software (including the open-source Project Clearwater), and the Perimeta session border controller family. Its Network Technologies division licensed portable protocol stacks and software components (SIP, Diameter, H.248/Megaco, SBC stacks) to OEM equipment vendors. Its software is aimed at network operators migrating voice and multimedia services to IP, VoLTE/VoWiFi, and IMS architectures; the company claimed more than 750 operator customers.
Patent-litigation posture. This is an operating company, not an NPE. The tracked record shows 2 cases as defendant and 1 as plaintiff — all against direct competitors, none against a shell licensor. Both district court suits were filed in the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division, a historically plaintiff-friendly venue.
Notable cases. Genband US LLC v. Metaswitch Networks Ltd. (E.D. Tex., 2014) went to jury and bench trial; the Federal Circuit affirmed denial of Genband's permanent injunction (861 F.3d 1378, 2017). Sonus Networks, Inc. v. Metaswitch (E.D. Tex., 2018) followed the Sonus–Genband merger, with Metaswitch counterclaiming; Metaswitch also filed an antitrust action against Genband in the Southern District of New York. Metaswitch Networks Ltd. v. Genband US LLC (Fed. Cir., 2018) is the plaintiff-side appeal.
Sonus/Ribbon alleged Metaswitch continued to infringe patents from the first lawsuit, including U.S. 7,184,427, through redesigned products, and also asserted willful infringement and false advertising. The case settled in 2019.
Genband asserted U.S. 7,184,427, one of eight patents in the original complaint and seven at trial, against Metaswitch. A jury found infringement and no invalidity, awarding $8,168,400; after a bench trial and injunction denial, the court entered final judgment of about $8.9 million. Metaswitch appealed.