Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) and OPPO have signed a multi-year global patent cross license agreement. This agreement includes a cross license covering patents essential to standards for cellular technologies, including 5G. OPPO, a leading smartphone vendor with sales in global markets, and significant presence in developing countries, will make royalty payments to Ericsson.
In addition to a cross license, OPPO and Ericsson will conduct business cooperation on a number of projects related to 5G, including device testing, customer engagements and marketing activities.
Christina Petersson, Chief Intellectual Property Officer at Ericsson, says: “This important royalty bearing license agreement with OPPO allows Ericsson to further invest in fundamental communications technologies. The license confirms that the patent licensing industry works and is proof that a vast majority of license agreements are based on business negotiations. It also reflects the mutual respect for each other’s patent portfolio. We now look forward to growing Ericsson’s IPR revenues with additional 5G agreements and expansion into additional licensing areas, such as IoT and consumer electronics.”
This agreement is in line with global practice where companies that provide products using cellular 3GPP standards such as 5G need a license agreement with patent holders in order not to infringe these patents, and also for patent holders to be compensated for their R&D investment.
The financial benefit of this agreement was already reflected in Ericsson’s Q2 2024 financial results.
Over several decades, Ericsson has been a leading contributor to 3GPP and to the development of global mobile standards. The value of Ericsson’s patent portfolio of more than 60,000 granted patents is strengthened by our leading position as 5G vendor, our leading 5G patent portfolio and annual investments of more than SEK 45 billion in R&D.