Google countersues BT over alleged IP networking patent violations

Google isn't letting BT's Android patent lawsuit go unanswered, even if it's taking its sweet time. Over a year after BT struck first, Google has filed a countersuit against BT that claims the provider is infringing four patents relating to IP-based conferencing and quality of service delivery. The search firm makes clear that its lawsuit is leverage for a possible truce: it's using the action as a "last resort" to fend off both BT and the patent holding companies that BT uses as proxies, according to a Google spokesperson. BT hasn't had a chance to respond -- or to be formally served, as of this writing -- but we can't imagine that a company which once sued over hyperlinks will simply agree to a stalemate.