Samsung sued by Ericsson

Swedish telecoms giant Ericsson has launched a US lawsuit against South Korean rival Samsung.

Ericsson said it has "tried long and hard to amicably come to an agreement with Samsung" and insisted "we have turned to litigation as a last resort".

It claims Samsung had refused to sign a licence to use its technology on terms Ericsson regards as fair. Samsung said that it will "take all necessary legal measures to protect against Ericsson's excessive claims".