At the IBC Standards and Patent Conference in London on Wednesday (4 December) there were heated debates about FRAND and SEPs, as you would expect, with plenty of comment from industry (including Microsoft, Philips, Nokia, Qualcomm, Intel) and regulators including Thomas Kramler from DG Comp’s Information Industries’ Unit. In the context of all the detailed commentary about possible changes in how FRAND and SEPs are dealt with (both today and in the future, whether in SSOs, courts, through arbitration, or by regulators), the broader overview by FTC Commissioner Maureen Olhausen about the role of the FTC and her approach to the Antitrust/ IP interface was a useful counterpoint. Commissioner Olhausen stepped back to look at some fundamentals, explaining why she had dissented from a couple of recent FTC actions affecting IP. It is well worth a look if you are interested in this area and can be found here.