Connectivity

Senko Sends Message of Product-Availability Assurance to Customers in Response to US Conec’s Legal Actions

April 5, 2024

Senko explains a specific claim by US Conec has no impact on the company’s ability to continue supplying MPO connectivity.

Senko's MPO Plus Premium Mini connector is shown here. Senko recently issued a statement to its customers, in light of a recent legal filing, assuring customers and the industry that the filing has no impact on Senko's ability to continue supplying MPO connectivity.

In response to US Conec’s recent complaint to the International Trade Commission and federal lawsuit filed in the Eastern District of Texas—both relating to patents covering MPO-style connectivity technology as well as Very Small Form Factor (VSFF) connectivity technology—Senko issued a message of assurance to its customers and the general market of fiber-optic connectivity consumers. US Conec’s complaint and lawsuit, both filed March 20, are the latest actions in a patent dispute between the two companies. The March 20 filings named companies in addition to Senko.

Senko issued a statement on April 3 that affirmed its defense of its own patents and also delivered a message of product-supply assurance for its customers. “Senko reaffirms once again that its VSFF patents dating back as far as 2016, not only pre-date those of US Conec, but also cover critical design aspects that are integral to the core functionality of the connector,” the company said. “Senko will vigorously defend the exclusion of SN products in a newly filed ITC proceeding … and is confident of the outcome.”

The company added, “This recent action from US Conec has been expanded beyond VSFF connectivity to include a single feature of Senko’s MPO portfolio. It is important to note that the allegation made against Senko concerning MPO connectivity relates only to a very specific feature of one connector type within Senko’s broad and comprehensive MPO portfolio. The claim has no impact on Senko’s ability to continue supplying MPO connectivity to the market … This action does not affect any of the MPO standard connectors that Senko has been supplying, or the MPO EZ-Way product that Senko has developed to simplify and accelerate the recent ramp-up in 800G deployments.”

Senko further stated it will reach out to the few customers that might be affected by US Conec’s most recent allegation.

You can read the original lawsuit filed by Senko against US Conec, in the district of Delaware, here.