Verizon Joins the Open Invention Network Community

DURHAM, NC--(Marketwired - Mar 25, 2014) - Open Invention Network (OIN), the organization formed to promote Linux by creating a collaborative environment, announced today that Verizon Communications has joined OIN as a licensee. As the first major communications service provider to enroll in the OIN community, Verizon, a global leader in broadband, wireline, and wireless communications services, is demonstrating its commitment to open source software and the associated development efforts that benefit the entire communications industry.

"The communications industry is transforming rapidly as competitors invest to meet the needs of evolving ecosystems with diverse applications that serve a myriad of users and devices. Because of this, communications providers require the flexibility to adapt quickly while controlling costs and open source software is the perfect tool," said Keith Bergelt, CEO of Open Invention Network. "We appreciate Verizon's leadership in joining OIN and supporting patent non-aggression in Linux. We view Verizon's participation as a bellwether for other communications service providers."

"Linux and open source are critical elements in today's mobile, cloud and enterprise computing environments," said Guru Pai, Verizon senior vice president and chief product officer. "By joining the Open Invention Network, we are helping ensure the ongoing development of open solutions that promote market growth in key lines of business."

Patents owned by Open Invention Network are licensed royalty-free to any company, institution or individual that agrees not to assert its patents against the Linux System. The Open Invention Network license can be reviewed and signed online at http://licenses.openinventionnetwork.com/.

About Open Invention Network
Open Invention Network is a collaborative enterprise that enables innovation in open source and an increasingly vibrant ecosystem around Linux. It does this by acquiring and licensing patents, influencing behaviors and policy, and protecting the integrity of the ecosystem through strategic programs such as Linux Defenders. OIN enables the growth and continuation of open source software by fostering a healthy Linux ecosystem of investors, vendors, developers and users.

Open Invention Network was launched in 2005 and has strong industry support with backing from Google, IBM, NEC, Philips, Red Hat, Sony and SUSE (a business unit of Novell). For more information, visit http://www.openinventionnetwork.com.

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Ed Schauweker
Agile Public Relations for Open Invention Network
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