Toronto's Comwave owns iPhone name in Canada

A Toronto-based company's ownership of the rights to the iPhone name in Canada has added another wrinkle to the legal battle brewing between Apple and Cisco.

Comwave Telecom Inc. has been marketing a collection of voice-over-internet services and products under the registered trademark iPhone since 2004, including a product called iPhone Mobile.

The company's president and chief executive said Friday his company doesn't plan on changing its services because of renewed interest in the name.

"There's no confirmed reports that Apple will launch iPhone in Canada," said Yuval Barzakay. "And there's no trademark designation on their iPhone logo. So we're not quite sure where they're headed with that."

Last week, Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs unveiled a new mobile phone device using touch-pad technology similar to the iPod music player. Jobs referred to the device as the iPhone.

Cisco Systems, which owns the iPhone trademark in the United States, announced it had filed a lawsuit against Apple on Wednesday, claiming Apple had infringed on its trademark.

Cisco had also recently come out with its own line of iPhone products.

Barzakay said he will wait until the two companies attempt to launch their products in Canada before determining what action to take.

"There's nobody infringing on our trademark in Canada at the present time. There's announcements but no one has actually infringed yet," he said.

"Apple hasn't launched their iPhone in Canada and Cisco hasn't launched their iPhone in Canada either. So it's still yet to be determined and that's why we're taking our time and studying our moves."

Comwave said its voice-over-internet services are available in 500 communities across Canada.

The Apple iPhone generated excitement in the consumer world for the sophisticated design of its mobile phone, which will be priced at $499 or $599 US depending on the memory of the model.

Apple plans to launch the phone in June in the United States, but no Canadian release date has been announced.