TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
From Times Staff and Wire Reports
MCI Sues to Invalidate AT&T; Patents: MCI Communications Corp. sued in federal court in Washington, D.C., to invalidate some AT&T; patents on computer software used in long-distance telephone service. The suit, which marks a new phase in MCI’s competition with AT&T;, seeks to make the patented software available to MCI without compensation to AT&T.; The suit was filed late Monday and assigned to U.S. District Judge Harold Greene, who presided over the breakup of the AT&T; monopoly. At issue are computer databases used for enhanced toll-free 800 service, credit card billing and a system for interrupting phone calls charged to delinquent accounts.
