TELECOMS giant Ericsson has launched an attack on counterfeiters.

The company, which has a major manufacturing plant at Burgess Hill in West Sussex, targeted 20 manufacturers, exhibiting at the international CEBIT trade fair in Germany. It claims they were displaying products illegally branded as Ericsson or using designs registered to Ericsson. The company has sent 40 legal letters to the manufacturers instructing them to stop infringing it trademark and designs. A German court has already issued an injunction to one CEBIT exhibitor. Ericsson claims it uncovered a wide range of counterfeit products at CEBIT, including mobile phone batteries and cases. They say counterfeit products do not match its own quality and safety standards. Niclas Almgren, manager of trademark and design protection at Ericsson said: "Taking this action at CEBIT demonstrates our strong commitment to protecting our trademarks and designs against piracy"

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