The acquisition of Nokia’s Device and Services division by Microsoft which was announced on 3rd September 2013 has been long due to the long winded regulatory approval process in major markets. Today, the company has announced that it has received said approval from the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China.
Alongside PRC, Nokia and Microsoft have also received approvals from the European Commission, U.S. Department of Justice amongst others. The deal has been dragged on by Asian regulators particularly India where Nokia also faces tax disputes to the tune of $414 million.
While it was hinted that both Google and Samsung had asked Chinese regulators to ensure that patent licensing terms do not change unfavorably post the transition, Nokia states hat no such request has been made. The regulatory process involves a complete review of Nokia’s patent licensing practices and the Finnish company remains compliant with FRAND (Fair, Reasonable and Non Discriminatory terms) undertakings related to essential patents. The deal is expected to close in April 2014.