VoIP Inc sues Google for stealing trade secrets

Telecom company VoIP Inc has sued Google for stealing trade secrets. A subsidiary of VoIP Inc signed a service contract with Google in 2005, but the internet giant terminated it in 2007.

VoiceOne, a subsidiary of VoIP Inc, signed a contract in 2005 to provide its ‘Click to Call’ service, which would allow Internet users to call advertiser phone numbers from a Google website at the touch of a button.

In 2007, however, Google terminated that contract, in its own words, because VoiceOne violated a confidentiality provision by revealing that Google was its customer. In 2006, Google signed a deal with Skype to provide VoIP services.

According to VoiceOne, Google then used its trade secrets, such as source codes, algorithms and technical knowledge. The company is claiming an undisclosed compensation. That could be put to good use by the parent company, VoIP Inc; VoIP Inc is in serious financial difficulties and has stopped providing services since 2008. Creditors want the company to be declared bankrupt. In 2009, VoIP Inc filed a similar lawsuit against Google, but it was dismissed.