8x8, Inc. the provider of the Packet8 broadband Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), videophone and mobile VoIP communication services, today announced that it has been granted U.S. Patent No. 7,394,803 entitled "Distributed Local Telephony Gateway." The patent was issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office yesteday on July 1, 2008.

Interestingly, the patent relates to Internet Protocol (IP) communication systems and, more particularly, to broadband telephony services having "distributed local gateways". Don't all broadband telephony services use "distributed local gateways"? After all, you need distributed local gateways to help get cheaper rates. So Does this mean Packet8 can go after Vonage, AT&T, Time Warner, and all the other providers of broadband telephony for patent infringement? Patent troll license fees are looking good!

I'll have to contact my sourcs at 8x8 and find out exactly what this patent entails. Stay tuned...

Relatedly, since its establishment in 1987, 8x8 has been awarded seventy-three (73) United States patents covering a variety of voice and video communications, processing and storage technologies.

Also, Packet8 is up 1.5% and Vonage is down 5.99%. Coincidence?