Sisvel launches a patent pool on WI-FI 6

Sisvel International S.A. announced the launch of a patent pool on Wi-Fi 6 technology. The initial members of this pool will be Huawei, Mediatek, Philips, SK Telecom and Wilus. Huawei and Philips are also the first licensees of the pool. Along with the Wi-Fi 6 pool, Sisvel also debuted a new structured payment plan — the Licensing Incentive Framework for Technologies (LIFT).

Even before the official publication of the standard by IEEE, Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) has been pervasive in the market. Increased average throughput per user -the standard itself talks about a fourfold increase- and increased number of concurrent users in high density scenarios (offices, campuses, airports, stadiums, etc.) are among the main benefits of Wi-Fi 6 when compared to Wi-Fi 5. Wi-Fi 6 has brought wireless connectivity to a whole new level. Additional information about the technological advances of Wi-Fi 6 and how it enhances and enables existing and new applications can be found on Sisvel’s blog.

Sisvel is committed to create licensing solutions that work for both innovators and implementers. To facilitate early adoption of licenses, Sisvel created a new royalty scheme, the Licensing Incentive Framework for Technologies (or LIFT), which will be available to licensees of this new pool. “LIFT is the result of a two-year effort, specifically built to address the disadvantage that sometimes early licensees can feel and the “I don’t want to be the first” syndrome” reveals Mattia Fogliacco, President of Sisvel International. “We are confident that LIFT will substantially help in fostering the creation of a level playing field”, he continues. Further information on LIFT can be found on Sisvel’s website and blog.

“The patent pool will increase transparency of patent licensing and reduce licensing disputes in the field. Implementers can obtain a license under all patents in the pool at one time, which increases licensing efficiency and reduces licensing costs” comments Alan Fan, Head of Huawei’s Intellectual Property Rights Department.

Steven Liu, Director at MediaTek states: “We support industry-driven licensing solutions that help to promote the adoption of new standards. We believe this group of industry participants, and with Sisvel as experienced administrator, can work together toward such goal”.

“Patent pools are the most efficient and transparent way to license Standard Essential Patents, reducing transaction costs and stimulating a level-playing field. For many years, Sisvel has been one of our partners in licensing audio/video codecs, and we are happy that we can now further expand our relationship into the Wi-Fi domain”, says Jako Eleveld, Head of IP Licensing at Royal Philips.

“SK Telecom is committed to always find the most efficient way to license its patents. We believe that this pool combines key patent owners, high quality assets and an innovative royalty scheme to align the interests of patent owners and implementors” declares Hogeun Kim, Vice President of Corporate Legal Office at SK Telecom.

Wilus’ CEO, Jin Sam Kwak, explains that “Wilus endorses LIFT, the alternative scheme for sponsoring the adoption of this new technology for implementers. Adjusting royalty payments based on the global market penetration of Wi-Fi 6 licenses can incentivize adoption. With LIFT, the Wi-Fi 6 pool is made more attractive to potential licensees”.

Sisvel’s Wi-Fi Program Manager, Andrea Rombolà adds that “licensing Wi-Fi technology has never been easy, but innovation has to be rewarded, because this is the only way to generate a virtuous circle to incentivize parties to innovate. Wi-Fi is such a key technology to our lives today, made ever so much more important by the pandemic and the associated work-from-home phenomena. This new pool represents a very efficient way to clear the rights of major owners of Wi-Fi 6 standard essential patents”. Mattia Fogliacco continues: “during the past two years of facilitation, we have created a framework that we feel will benefit the Markets for Technology as a whole, removing friction and aligning interests of innovators and implementers. We trust that this, together with the quality of the IP contributed by the participating patent owners, will quickly attract additional licensees and possibly additional patent owners.”

Sisvel is making the valuable portfolios included in the pool accessible on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms and conditions, by offering a royalty-bearing, non-transferable, non-assignable, non-exclusive license, with no right to grant sublicenses, under the participating patent owners’ patent portfolios essential to the 802.11ax specification.

CT Bureau