Top > Webmaster > 2006 > October > 2006-10-01

Chinese Plant Violates Bluetooth Trademark

A plant in China, Shenzhen Bluebird Hi-Tech. Co. Ltd, was suspected in violating the registered brand of the Bluetooth Special Interest group (SIG). It had illegally used the Bluetooth logo and trademark on its products. For that reason, the group had searched the plant together with the Shenzhen City Economic Crime Investigation Department of the Public Security Bureau (PSB) and the Administration of Industries and Commerce (AIC) of Shenzhen. In the search more than 20,000 pieces of finished and half-finished parts of headsets with Bluetooth technology, as well as packages, user manuals and other components were found on a plant.

The plant is currently being investigated for producing and collecting the unqualified products and violating the trademarks. Executive director of the Bluetooth SIG Michael Foley said in a statement: "Bluetooth wireless technology is a globally accepted standard in which Bluetooth qualification is a necessary prerequisite of the Bluetooth technology IP license and applying the applicable Bluetooth trademark to a product".

He also said that by avoiding the necessary tests and requirements, the plant is behaving unfairly both to Bluetooth SIG members, who have established the Bluetooth Qualification Program, and to buyers, who many times purchase bad quality products that have not met the Bluetooth requirements or passed the proper testing. More than half of Bluetooth products are qualified in the region of the Asia Pacific. Also 10 best qualifying Bluetooth Qualification Bodies are located there, to provide services to those who seek Bluetooth product qualification.