Big River Telephone in Cape settles lawsuit filed by Sprint

Cape Girardeau-based Big River Telephone Co. will now become a licensee of Sprint Nextel Corp., according to terms of a lawsuit settlement over alleged patent infringement.

Under terms of the lawsuit, Big River will pay for a nonexclusive license to use the wireless carrier's patents, Sprint officials said today in a news release. The amount Big River will pay Sprint to provide services to predefined cable companies is confidential, the release said.

Big River president Kevin Cantwell referred to Sprint's news release from Sprint and declined further comment.

"We are glad to put this litigation behind us and return our attention to providing our clients with excellent telecommunication services," Big River CEO Jerry Howe said in a written statement. "We are pleased to be a licensee of Sprint's patents and look forward to providing our services under the protection of this portfolio. We recognize the importance of Sprint's Voice over Packet patent portfolio."

Sprint sued Big River and three other companies in January 2008, accusing them of infringing on the company's patents for sending telephone calls over the Internet.

NuVox Communications Inc., Broadvox Holdings LLC and Paetec Communications Inc. already settled the litigation.