T-Mobile and AT&T Caught in Voicemail Patent Suit by Starhome

It's been a couple of weeks since we last heard anyone say the words "patent," and "suit," so we figured we'd bring you another turn of the wheel. This one has both AT&T and T-Mobile caught in the crossfire, as well as a third company, based out of San Jose, California, called Roamware. The suit deals with voicemails, or more accurately the way two features work within those systems.

One of the two patents deals directly with how customers access their voicemail from overseas. The patent apparently covers the use of short codes, instead of the standard long international numbers that customers are accustomed to. The other patent relates to how customers on AT&T and T-Mobile utilize a toll-free calling method from car rental companies in European countries.

At the moment, Starhome is trying to make it so that T-Mobile and AT&T are not allowed to use these patents and systems, by blocking them from international customers. As of this writing, both AT&T and T-Mobile have kept quiet on the lawsuit, and they'll probably keep that up until something gets figured out, or they investigate some more into the lawsuit.

[via PhoneScoop]