The screen capture from the online store of Deutsche Telekom shows one of HTC handsets. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com]

HTC is facing a sales ban of its handsets sold through a telecom operator in Germany, another challenge for its already declining business.

A court in Germany has granted an injunction request put forward by Acacia Research Group, a patent licensing firm based in Texas.

The ban will take effect at the end of this month.

Acacia said HTC handsets sold in Deutsche Telekom infringed on its patent involving a key speech coding technology.

HTC has released a statement saying they are disappointed over the ruling and will discuss with the operator ways to minimize the impact for consumers.

The smartphone maker from Taiwan lost major global market share to low-cost rivals like Huawei in recent years, down to 2 percent.