Sisvel reveals new Wi-Fi 6 rates and AV1 licensing progress; SEP regulation formally withdrawn; InterDigital’s $1b arbitration win; US patent fee overhaul rumoured; plus much more
Welcome to the latest edition of the Sisvel Insights weekly round-up, aggregating news stories, analyses and data points affectingre the SEP world that have caught our eye over the past seven days
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Last week brought a pair of major updates from Sisvel licensing programmes.
We introduced a new rate structure for our Wi-Fi 6 pool which lowers the compliant royalty for enterprise access points from $3.00 to $1.00. The move followed close consultation with the pool’s patent owners the wider market. “Sisvel has listened and Sisvel has acted. This is the Sisvel difference,” programme manager Giorgia Varvelli explained.
Sisvel also provided an update on the licensing progress of the AV1 pool, which has licensed approximately half of the AV1 finished product market. The programme has played an important role in bringing transparency to the AV1 licensing landscape, as outlined by programme manager Valentina Piola in a Sisvel Insights article. The significant take-up of the licence offer by AV1 users is a testament to these efforts.
Elsewhere, the European Commission officially scrapped the EU SEP regulation, following through on plans announced back in February. There was no path forward for the legislation, but the Commission has signalled that it will continue to watch the SEP licensing environment with an eye toward further policy initiatives.
There was also news of a billion-dollar arbitration award for InterDigital, with a panel ordering Samsung to pony up a ten-digit sum to resolve a dispute the parties agreed to take outside the courtroom in 2024; and reports emerged that the Trump Commerce Department is considering a fundamental change to patent fees, charging an amount based on overall portfolio value.
Please note that inclusion of a piece in the list below does not signify agreement with what is stated in the linked article, just that we believe it is of interest and worth pointing out.
Market
Sisvel announced new, lower royalties for enterprise access points under its Wi-Fi 6 licensing programme following detailed consultation with the market. Sisvel | Sisvel Wi-Fi 6 pool lowers rates for enterprise products
An arbitration panel determined that Samsung should pay InterDigital royalties totalling $1.05 billion for an eight-year patent licence running through 2030. InterDigital - SEC Filing
Qualcomm Technologies booked $1.32 billion in licensing revenue in the most recent quarter, a 4% year-on-year increase. Qualcomm - SEC Filing
A Longhorn IP affiliate announced a licence agreement with Samsung following US assertion of patents originating from SK Telecom. Longhorn IP - Press Release
Legal
The UK High Court will jointly consider applications from Acer and ASUSTeK for an interim licence declaration against Nokia in an October trial. Nokia disputes with Acer, Asus and Hisense raise new SEP questions for English courts - IAM 🔒
HMD Global filed its opening brief in a closely-watched German FRAND appeal against VoiceAge EVS. HMD aligns itself with European Commission’s stance on FRAND in opening brief filed with top German court: VoiceAge EVS v. HMD – ip fray
Policy & Opinion
The European Commission formally withdrew the Regulation on Standard Essential Patents, having found no “clear signal of support” from the Parliament or the Council. EU Commission confirms ditching of AI liability and patents proposals | Euronews
Commerce Department officials have discussed a new USPTO patent fee that would see patent holders charged 1% to 5% of their “overall patent value”. Trump Administration Weighs Charging Patent Holders New Fee to Raise Revenue - WSJ 🔒
Strategy & Analysis
Sisvel’s Video Coding Platform has licensed approximately 50% of the AV1 finished product market and brought clarity to the patent landscape around the codec. Sisvel | Sisvel has licensed half the AV1 market while bringing much-needed transparency
Experts from Rouse compare and contrast SEP enforcement procedures in Southeast Asia spanning Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand. Enforcing SEPs in key Southeast Asian markets: Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand - IAM 🔒
