Nokia claims ownership of more than 20,000 patent families, 4,500 of which are considered ‘essential’ to 5G
Nokia and Samsung have solidified a new 5G patent deal to replace the previous one that expired at the end of 2022. According to press documents, the deal gives Samsung access to Nokia’s “fundamental inventions in 5G and other technologies.”
“Samsung is a leader in the smartphone industry, and we are delighted to have reached an amicable agreement with them,” Jenni Lukander, president of Nokia Technologies, adding that the new agreement gives the companies “freedom to innovate” and highlights “the strength of Nokia’s patent portfolio [and] decades-long investments in R&D.”
Nokia said that it has invested more than €130 billion in R&D since 2000. Currently, the Finnish vendor claims ownership of more than 20,000 patent families, 4,500 of which are considered “essential” to 5G technology.
While much of agreement remains confidential, the companies shared that Samsung will make royalty payments to Nokia over a multi-year period beginning January 1, 2023.
In 2021, Nokia became one of the first companies to receive ISO 9001 certification for its patent portfolio management. The certification evaluates companies on their ability to consistently deliver quality results when designing, developing, and delivering products and services.
“ISO 9001 helps businesses and organisations with their efficiency, improve customer satisfaction and is an important measure of quality within the company’s systems and processes,” explained Karolina Lachi Kolarova, business unit director for certification from Bureau Veritas UK, who conducted the audit. “By adding their patent portfolio management activities into their ISO 9001 certification, Nokia has further demonstrated its commitment to high quality and continual improvement.”