THE lawyer for Vodafone Cyprus Ltd has said that he expects legal action taken against the company by Vodafone Group PLC “to be thrown out of court.”
Rikkos Erotokritou, who represents the company, yesterday told the Cyprus Mail that, “everything we do is perfectly legal so we hope to have a good outcome tomorrow in court.”
The company also issued a press release, explaining their position.
“The Cyprus-registered company Vodafone Cyprus Ltd, defends its business name, as well as its business against Vodafone Group PLC.
“The company has carried out its business in many towns in Cyprus since 1999.
Many business activities include advertisement and sale of mobile phones as well as other telecommunication equipment, of the original business brand Vodafone, which are made and/or originate in England, the country from where we legally obtain the phones, as well as equipment, through local and regional agents of Vodafone Group PLC.
“On the instigation of the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority (CyTA), which desires and appears, without having such a right as the exclusive supplier of products and services of Vodafone, an action, as well as a petition has been filed, through a CyTA employee, for the issuing of an interlocutory injunction against the company registered in Cyprus, for the use of the business name Vodafone on the island.
“The legal dispute will be solved by the court and up to this moment, all consumers can buy original Vodafone phones and equipment from Vodafone Cyprus shops.”
Vodafone Group, the leading global mobile telecommunications company, signed a Partner Network Agreement with CyTA in February 2004 under which CyTA, whose mobile services are provided under the brand name Cytamobile, was appointed as the exclusive partner of Vodafone for the provision of Vodafone products and services in Cyprus.
This agreement also provides for the marketing of Vodafone products and services, and for the supply of Vodafone branded mobile phones and other telecommunications equipment, under the brand name Cytamobile-Vodafone.
A statement from Vodafone on Saturday said that in response to recent marketing activities initiated by Vodafone Cyprus Ltd, Vodafone Group PLC had filed a suit at the District Court of Nicosia together with an application for an interim order seeking a prohibitory injunction against the company.
The statement warned consumers that all Vodafone and Cytamobile-Vodafone products and services were available only from the Cytashop and Cytamobile-Vodafone sales network, Aeliotis, Germanos, Stephanis and Telefone.
CyTA’s Lefteris Christou said the international company was objecting not only to the use of the name but also to the unauthorised selling of Vodafone handsets. He said they were likely buying the handsets abroad and bringing them to Cyprus to sell.
“They don’t get them through CyTA, which is the official partner,” he said. “I know for sure they didn’t take into consideration the injunction because they are trying to open a new store in Nicosia and put up the Vodafone sign like they did in Limassol.”
Erotokritou said that, “if the contract between Vodafone Group and CyTA is valid, then UK regional outlets should have been stopped from selling products to Cyprus.”
