Lemko Corporation Files Second Patent Infringement Lawsuit against Microsoft
“COMPLIANT FOR WILLFUL PATENT INFRINGEMENT”
Schaumburg, Illinois, June 5, 2026 – Lemko Corporation, a pioneer in Network Functions Virtualization (NFV), has filed a second patent infringement lawsuit against Microsoft (Case No. 3:26-cv-01876-G) in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. The lawsuit alleges that Microsoft is unlawfully utilizing Lemko’s patented mobile network innovations, which are designed to significantly reduce both deployment and operational costs of mobile broadband networks.
Lemko’s groundbreaking approach involves virtualizing network functions through software deployed on off-the-shelf servers located at the network’s edge, near the radio access network. This methodology not only simplifies the deployment of mobile cores but also reduces operational expenses by minimizing backhaul resource requirements. Notably, Lemko introduced its “Distributed Mobile Architecture” software seven years prior to the mobile industry’s acknowledgment of the benefits of NFV in the ETSI white paper published in October 2012. Since then, the industry has widely adopted NFV, transitioning network functions to software-based solutions operating on standard servers.
Brian Ponte, Lemko’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, commented on the situation: “We filed our original lawsuit against Microsoft and Affirmed Networks in February, 2022. A year later, after combining acquired technology and software from Affirmed network, Metaswitch and AT&T, Microsoft launched Azure Operator Nexus”. Microsoft publicly announce Azure Operator Nexus at Mobile World Congress February 26, 2023 and announced general availability in August 2023. Azure Operator Nexus supports millions of customers worldwide.
Lemko is represented by Paul Andre, Lisa Kobialka, James Hannah, and Aaron Frankel of Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP. The firm’s Intellectual Property team is experienced in asserting and defending IP-related claims across various U.S. courts and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
About Lemko
Founded in 2004, Lemko is a U.S.-based global leader in Mobile Edge Computing (MEC)-based mobile networks. The company launched its first networks utilizing NFV software in 2004, enabling the world’s first single-layer, flat network and dramatically simplifying cellular network deployments. Lemko’s solutions cater to various applications, including private 4G/5G networks, emergency response, and rural/remote broadband networks. Their networks have been deployed in challenging environments worldwide, including areas in North America, Asia and Africa. To date, Lemko holds over 50 patents in 5G technologies, with 28 patents directly covering Mobile Edge Computing.