Call Dropped: Verizon Cuts Deal in $175M Patent Clash

November 7, 2025

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Verizon and Headwater Research LLC have reportedly agreed to settle a patent infringement lawsuit that ended with a $175 million USD jury verdict against the telecom giant.

Headwater, a Texas-based firm specializing in telecommunications and patent landscapes, alleged that it shared details of wireless communication technology with Verizon under a non-disclosure agreement between 2009 and 2011. The technology, designed to reduce network congestion, conserve device power, and improve user connectivity, later became the focus of this dispute.

A Texas jury found that Verizon’s mobile phones, tablets, and networks infringed Headwater’s patents.

According to Reuters, the Verizon case is part of a broader enforcement campaign by Headwater. The company previously secured a $279 million USD verdict against Samsung and has since reportedly reached settlement deals with AT&T and T-Mobile.

Building on that momentum, Headwater has also filed infringement suits against multiple other companies – signaling that its push to enforce its patents against the industry’s biggest players may be far from over.

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Authors: Chloe Bechard, 2025-2026 Articling Student-at-Law, and Emily Groper