Bluetooth SIG gets serious

Chinese factory raided, 20,000 items seized

Posted in Mobile, 26th September 2006 16:48 GMT

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The Bluetooth SIG showed its muscle today when the manufacturing facility of Shenzhen Bluebird Hi-Tech. Co. in Shenzhen was raided by officers from the Shenzhen City Economic Crime Investigation Department of the Public Security Bureau (a unit which will never make for a snappy TV title).

Over 20,000 items were seized from the factory, all bearing the Bluetooth logo and ranging from headsets to manuals and boxes. The company was already under investigation for producing products infringing on the Bluetooth SIG trademarks. The Bluetooth SIG only allows kit which has passed their tests to bear their logo, which is protected under trademark law.

"By bypassing qualification and tests, it is unfair not only to Bluetooth SIG members who have conformed to the Bluetooth Qualification Program but also to consumers, who often end up buying poor quality grade products that have not met the Bluetooth specification requirements" said Micheal Foley, Bluetooth SIG director.

Far worse for the Bluetooth SIG is that customers who buy dodgy Bluetooth kit will end up blaming the technology rather than the device, devaluing the whole business as they tell their friends that Bluetooth devices don’t work.

"China is committed to the fight against IP and trademark infringement", stated Mr. Daoxin Ou, Head of Trademark & Advertisement Department, Shenzhen Administration for Industry & Commerce Futian Branch.

It’s a start, now if they could just work on their freedom of speech issues.®

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