Tag: 5G patents

  • Huawei to Sue MediaTek This Month Over Patent Dispute

    Huawei to Sue MediaTek This Month Over Patent Dispute

    The ongoing clash over patents between Huawei and MediaTek is set to intensify around October 25th, following the end of China’s Golden Week holiday and major product launches, according to a fresh report from DigiTimes.

    The Core of the Issue

    Since July, both tech titans have been embroiled in disputes over claims of patent violations concerning cellular network technologies, which include 4G, 5G, and LTE. Each company has taken legal action against the other—Huawei has filed a lawsuit in a Chinese court, while MediaTek has pursued its case in the UK High Court. Although specific details regarding the lawsuits and court dates are still not clear, the latest information from DigiTimes hints at a possible start after October 25th.

    Licensing Agreement Problems

    The heart of this disagreement appears to be a failed licensing deal. Huawei, the Chinese tech powerhouse, possesses a substantial collection of standard-essential patents (SEPs) vital for wireless communication, owning around 20% of the global 5G patents. Presently, Huawei imposes patent fees on terminal device makers, which are the companies that design, put together, and sell complete devices. For smartphones, some of these manufacturers include Oppo, Xiaomi, and Samsung.

    Huawei’s legal action aims to shift this fee model to focus on component suppliers like MediaTek instead of the device manufacturers. In contrast, MediaTek has found these licensing fees—calculated based on terminal device prices—to be too steep, contributing to the ongoing conflict between them.

    Potential Industry Impact

    Should Huawei’s plan succeed, it may revolutionize the patent licensing framework within the tech sector. Smartphone producers such as Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo could experience decreased licensing expenses, as the financial responsibility would transfer to chip suppliers like MediaTek and Qualcomm. In theory, this adjustment could also allow device makers to reduce the prices of their products.

    Clearly, both companies are gearing up for what could be a protracted and intricate legal battle. While the outcome remains uncertain, we’ll keep you informed as the situation unfolds.

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  • Nokia, Honor Partner on 5G Patent Exchange

    Nokia, Honor Partner on 5G Patent Exchange

    Nokia and Honor Enter Cross-Licensing Deal for 5G Patents

    Recently, Nokia and Honor inked a significant cross-licensing agreement focused on 5G patents, a strategic move poised to benefit both entities and propel advancements within the 5G technology sphere. This milestone agreement, unveiled on January 4th, encompasses pivotal innovations within 5G and various cellular networks, marking Nokia’s fourth substantial pact on smartphone patents in the past year.

    Although the specific terms of the arrangement remain undisclosed, both parties have expressed contentment with the accord. Susanna Martikainen, the Chief Licensing Officer at Nokia, underscored the robustness of their patent portfolio and their extensive contributions to mobile technology spanning decades. Honor’s representative, Zhou Wenyu, accentuated their dedication to preserving intellectual property rights and ensuring equitable pricing for essential patents.

    By sidestepping the specter of potential legal disputes, this agreement cultivates collaboration on critical 5G technologies between two prominent stalwarts in the mobile industry. Notably, Nokia has channeled over €140 billion into research and development (R&D) since 2000, culminating in roughly 20,000 patent families, inclusive of more than 6,000 crucial patents pertinent to 5G. This represents Nokia’s fourth significant smartphone patent deal in the last twelve months.

    Honor views this agreement as a testimony to their unwavering commitment to nurturing innovation and safeguarding intellectual property rights. The company continues to make substantial investments in R&D, with purported allocations of approximately 10% of their revenue towards maintaining a competitive edge. Moreover, their tally of global patent applications has now exceeded the 20,000 threshold.

    This development comes on the heels of a recent ruling by a Chinese court favoring Nokia in a patent royalty dispute with another mobile phone manufacturer, establishing a global benchmark for patent litigation associated with 2G-5G standard essential patents.

    Interestingly, Nokia had previously struck deals with Samsung in early 2023 and Apple in July, further solidifying its standing in the ever-evolving 5G patent landscape with the addition of Honor to its consortium.

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