TV channel does not hold exclusive trademark rights to the number 3, Stockholm court rules

July 4, 2005

Swedish media company Modern Times Group, owner of Stockholm-based TV channel TV3, claims monetary damages from Swedish mobile telephone operator 3 totaling 300 million Swedish kronor for trademark infringement by using the number "3" as their name. Modern Times' TV3 has used a logotype saying "3" for many years.

However, on July 1 the Stockholm district court (Stockholms tingsrätt) decided that TV3 does not have exclusive rights to the number 3, disagreeing that the mobile telephone company's use of the numeral was a violation of Swedish trademark protection laws.

TV3 has three weeks to appeal the verdict to keep it from becoming legally enforceable. In making the decision, the Stockholm court allowed other disputes between the companies not concerning the use of the numeral "3" to continue to be argued before it.