The legal battle between SmartSky and supplier WSS reached its conclusion, with SmartSky scoring a massive win. Following their initial lawsuits filed in September, and a WSS counterclaim in December, a binding arbitration ruling announced this week delivered victory to SmartSky on 14 distinct claims.
SmartSky is very pleased with the outcome of this case and always had great confidence that the facts supported our position and our rights.
– David Helfgott, CEO, SmartSky
The arbitration panel awarded SmartSky more than $12 million in damages, legal expenses, and sanctions. The panel also issued a permanent injunction against WSS, its companion companies DAG Wireless Ltd. and DAG Wireless USA, and individuals Laslo Gross, Susan Gross, and David Gross.
All counterclaims against SmartSky were dismissed with prejudice.
SmartSky CEO David Helfgott described the case as “an enormous amount of work and, frankly, a distraction.” But he also acknowledged it was a necessary process that the company needed to work its way through.
And with the victory in hand Helfgott notes that SmartSky is “very happy to turn the page and really focus on the business itself.”
SmartSky did not wait for the ruling to source a new supplier and get the necessary hardware manufactured to bring its network online. With that work well underway SmartSky continues to anticipate launch of its in-flight connectivity offering later this year.
This is the second major legal win for the company in the past 12 months. In September 2020 SmartSky successfully deflected Gogo’s patent challenge to part of its technology.
Read More:
- SmartSky secures FCC certification
- Honeywell, SmartSky sign distribution deal
- Gogo hits 5G installation milestone
- SmartSky activates test corridor, moves towards nation-wide deployment
- Technology and Towers: SmartSky’s new CTO and the transition to operations
- SmartSky triumphs over Gogo in patent challenge
A favor to ask while you're here...
Did you enjoy the content? Or learn something useful? Or generally just think this is the type of story you'd like to see more of? Consider supporting the site through a donation (any amount helps). It helps keep me independent and avoiding the credit card schlock.
Leave a Reply