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Home Cases Fiberwave v. AT&T Enterprises

Fiberwave v. AT&T Enterprises

Texas Business Court, 1st Division 25-BC01A-0013 active

Analysis

Limitation-of-Liability Clauses Must Be Read in Context: Business Court Distinguishes 'Arising From' and 'Arising Out of or Related To' in Tort Claims Analysis

In Fiberwave v. AT&T Enterprises, the Business Court's First Division addressed whether the parties' 2022 Alliance Program Agreement's limitation-of-liability provision bars Fiberwave's tortious interference, defamation, and business disparagement claims arising from AT&T's post-termination conduct. The court held that Section 18.6's bar on damages 'arising from such termination' does not categorically preclude tort claims where the question is whether the damages—not merely the complained-of acts—arose from termination itself.

Joel Reese  |  Jul 28, 2026
Summary Judgment Contract Interpretation Limitation of Liability Tortious Interference Business Disparagement

Defamation Claims Require Objectively Verifiable Statements: Business Court Grants Summary Judgment on Integrity-Based Allegations

In Fiberwave v. AT&T Enterprises, 2026 Tex. Bus. 2, the Texas Business Court granted AT&T's no-evidence motion for summary judgment on Plaintiff's defamation claim, finding no evidence of a false, defamatory statement or that AT&T knew or should have known of its falsity. Fiberwave alleged that AT&T's email to solution providers—stating it was ending its relationship with Fiberwave based on integrity and doing the right thing—cunningly implied Fiberwave lacked integrity.

Joel Reese  |  Jul 28, 2026
Summary Judgment Rule 166a Defamation No-Evidence Motion Objectively Verifiable Statements

Contract Ambiguity Survives Summary Judgment Where Competing Interpretations Both Find Textual Support

In Fiberwave v. AT&T Enterprises, Division 1 denied cross-motions for summary judgment on contract interpretation, holding that a residual compensation provision was ambiguous where both parties' readings found support in the text but neither fully reconciled all language. The court granted summary judgment dismissing all fraud claims—plaintiff's fraudulent inducement claim for lack of justifiable reliance, and defendant's counterclaims on no-evidence grounds and under the economic loss rule.

Joel Reese  |  Jul 28, 2026
Summary Judgment Contract Interpretation Ambiguity Fraudulent Inducement Economic Loss Rule