YouView TV sued for trade mark infringement by Total

Following success in the appeal Court earlier this month, Total Ltd., a Gloucestershire based telecommunications company, has now issued High Court proceedings against YouView TV Ltd. for infringement of Total’s registered trade mark, YOUR VIEW.

The new claim by Total is the latest action in the legal battle between Total and YouView, as Total continue to attempt to protect their YOUR VIEW brand.

YouView TV Ltd. recently launched a Freeview TV platform which they have branded ‘youview’. It is a joint venture backed by the major TV channels and broadband providers, to include the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, BT, TalkTalk, and Arqiva.

Following Total’s success in the appeal Court, they are now taking further steps to protect their trade mark.

Total is claiming that YouView is in breach of the Trade Marks Act 1994 (Section 10), because by use in the course of trade and without consent, YouView have used their trade mark, which is, their lawyers argue, similar to the YOUR VIEW trade mark and is used in relation to goods and services which are identical or similar to those for which Total have registered their mark.

Managing Director of Total Ltd., Stuart Baikie, said “Despite the recent vindication of our position in the appeal proceedings we believe that YouView has continued to act without regard to our registered mark and business interests. We have had no choice but to issue infringement proceedings and we are confident of success.”