Ericsson has announced that it has signed a new patent cross-license agreement with OPPO, covering patents essential to standards for cellular technologies, including 5G.
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, said the company.
Earlier this year, OPPO signed a 5G patent deal with Nokia ending the long dispute between Nokia and OPPO over patent payments.
As of June 30, 2024, OPPO said that it has filed over 103,000 patent applications globally, with more than 57,000 patents granted, and 91% of all patent applications are utility patents.
According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), OPPO ranked ninth globally in patent applications filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) in 2023, making its fifth consecutive year in the global top ten.
Christina Petersson, Chief Intellectual Property Officer at Ericsson, said:
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.
Feng Ying, Chief Intellectual Property Officer of OPPO, said:
We are pleased to announce that we have reached a global cooperation agreement with Ericsson. The global patent cross license between the two companies covers cellular standard-essential patents, including 5G. This agreement reflects the mutual recognition and respect for each other’s intellectual property and lays a solid foundation for our collaboration. OPPO has always respected intellectual property, advocated for reasonable fees, and supported the establishment of a long-term healthy IP ecosystem. We aim to resolve IP disputes between licensors and licensees through friendly negotiation, with mutual respect for the value of patents.