Apple’s RockStar Consortium gets OK for Nortel Patent Buy

Rockstar Consortium got the green light from the U.S. Justice Department on Monday to move forward with its plan to buy the Nortel patent portfolio. The consortium is made up of several companies including Apple and Microsoft, and has been waiting for final approval of the purchase it started in mid 2011.

Nortel patents now belong to RockstarNortel patents now belong to Rockstar

Rockstar’s members include Apple, Microsoft, EMC, Ericsson, Sony and RIM.

The patents cover an array of technologies from 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) and other wireless-related technologies, to networking, to voice and data transmission, to optical, and even semiconductors. Nortel executives said, “The extensive patent portfolio touches nearly every aspect of telecommunications and additional markets as well, including Internet search and social networking.”

Rockstar’s plans had been on hold while the Justice Department’s waiting period expired, and with that window now closed the company is free to wrap up the deal for over 4,000 patents.

The deal cost Rockstar Consortium US$4.5 billion.