[Asterisk-Users] [ot] Grandstream hardware

[Andrew Kohlsmith]

> If I understand things correctly, the companies that make DSP chips can
> implement whatever codec(s) they want and NOT have to pay the patent
> holders to sell this product with the patent holder's codec in it?

That is not true.
You must license any technologies you use if their license demands it.

> I ask again, how does Grandstream (from all accounts a very small
> company) afford to provide the patented codecs in their products?

Volume?  An excellent sales contract?  Perhaps the DSP or DSP firmware they 
bought to aid their development has licenses for the commercial codecs 
present?  There are a number of MP3 decoder ICs which include the MP3 
license cost in the cost of the chip itself, for example.

Regards,
Andrew