Six high-profile tech companies comprised of Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, RIM, and Sony have banded together to purchase Nortel’s patent portfolio. Collectively spending $4.5-billion, the consortium purchased the rights to over 6,000 patents which cover wireless voice and network technology, optical data technology, and 4G LTE. Most of the companies involved are remaining tight-lipped about the splurge, though Ericsson and RIM have stated they spent $340-million and $770-million respectively. Google, which entered a $900-million bid in April, walked away from the bidding war with nothing.

[via Financial Times]