Ottawa, Canada, July 26, 2017 – Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à r.l., a subsidiary of Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc., announced today that it has filed a patent infringement case against Huawei Technologies and ZTE in the Patents Court of the High Court of Justice in London, United Kingdom. In its complaint, Conversant Wireless is asking the Court to declare that Conversant has made a fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) offer to license its standard essential patent (SEP) portfolio to each defendant, or alternatively to determine the FRAND terms for such a license to each defendant. Conversant also alleges that each defendant’s mobile handsets infringe four of Conversant’s SEPs, European Patent (UK) No. 1,031,192, No. 0,978,210, No. 1,797,659, and No. 1,878,177.

Conversant Wireless licenses its worldwide portfolio of wireless patents and patent applications that cover technologies used in a wide range of mobile communications devices and services, such as handsets, cameras, tablets, and laptops. The Conversant Wireless portfolio includes many declared SEPs that Conversant seeks to license on FRAND terms.

“Conversant Wireless has been negotiating for years with both defendants,” said Boris Teksler, President and CEO of Conversant. “We have repeatedly explained to each of the defendants how they are using our SEPs and made clear Conversant’s willingness to negotiate and conclude a FRAND portfolio license in accordance with our FRAND undertakings.  But neither Huawei nor ZTE has accepted any of Conversant’s offers or made a FRAND counter-offer, leaving Conversant no choice but to enforce our patent rights in court.”

“Conversant Wireless always prefers negotiating with willing licensees towards fair agreements without the need to litigate,” Teksler continued. “But for companies who are not willing to engage in the FRAND licensing process, Conversant Wireless stands ready to enforce our patent rights when required. In fact, Conversant successfully enforced its portfolio in the United States courts in 2016, where three separate juries found Conversant Wireless patents valid and infringed by Apple and LG Electronics smartphones, handsets, and tablets that are compliant with wireless communications standards. In one case the court later awarded enhanced damages against a resistant defendant, recognizing the importance of engaging in serious, good-faith license negotiations and being willing to take a FRAND license where appropriate. These results show both the value of the Conversant Wireless portfolio and the necessity of good-faith participation in SEP license negotiations. Unfortunately, more and more companies prefer to efficiently infringe rather than pay fair value. With this UK case against Huawei and ZTE, we look forward to solidifying not only our SEP portfolio but also the FRAND licensing offers and framework.”

About Conversant

Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc. is a global intellectual property management company known for its principled approach to patent licensing. With a portfolio of thousands of patents and patent applications under management, Conversant has special expertise in semiconductors and communications technology. For more information, please visit www.conversantip.com. Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à r.l. is a subsidiary of Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc. that is focused on licensing a major portfolio of about 1,000 wireless patents and patent applications covering technologies used in a wide range of mobile communications devices and services. Conversant Wireless’ former name was Core Wireless. For more information, please visit www.conversant-wireless.com/.

Media Inquiries
Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc.

Scott Burt

469-863-2476
sburt@conversantip.com