The US Department of Justice (DoJ) charged Chinese radio systems manufacturer Hytera with conspiracy to steal trade secrets, alleging collaboration with former employees of mobile equipment maker Motorola Solutions.

An indictment unsealed by the DoJ yesterday (7 February) accuses Hytera of hiring Motorola employees and instructing them to share proprietary information related to the development of push-to-talk radio units.

The indictment states the former Motorola employees worked with Hytera on digital mobile radios from 2007 until 2020.

Hytera is accused of stealing 15 separate trade secrets including digital mobile radio software source code, and frequency generation, transmitter and circuit design techniques for compatible hardware.

If convicted, Hytera could be fined up to three-times the value of the trade secrets allegedly involved along with costs not incurred by using the proprietary information.

The DoJ charged the former Motorola employees with violating non-disclosure agreements and with using company documents containing proprietary and trade secret information to develop Hytera’s products, train employees and market the wares.

In November 2021, US President Joe Biden signed legislation preventing the Federal Communications Commission from licensing radio equipment made by Hytera and four other Chinese companies.