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Ericsson Sues Smartphone Maker Wiko for Infringement of 2G, 3G and 4G Patents

Ericsson Sues Smartphone Maker Wiko for Infringement of 2G, 3G and 4G Patents Image Credit: Ericsson

Ericsson is suing smartphone maker Wiko for infringement of patents essential for 2G, 3G and 4G cellular technology, as well as implementation patents.

Founded in 2011 in Marseille, France, Wiko produces low cost smartphones and has since boosted its market share in European countries, especially in France.

Ericsson is suing Wiko in the German regional courts of Dusseldorf and Mannheim, alleging Wiko has been infringing its intellectual property rights for six years without any license or compensation.

Ericsson claims that "it has tried to establish a fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory  (FRAND) license agreement with Wiko since May 2013, but has not succeeded. As a last resort, Ericsson has decided to exercise its legal rights to enforce its patents against Wiko’s infringing products."

Ericsson’s patent portfolio covers 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE technologies, with more than 42,000 granted patents worldwide. 

Gustav Brismark, Chief Intellectual Property Officer, Ericsson
Global sharing of technology and open standards are the force behind the smartphone revolution and have allowed new entrants, such as Wiko, to quickly build successful businesses. This ICT eco-system only works, however, if all market players respect the basic rules of FRAND licensing. It is unfair for Wiko to benefit from our substantial R&D investment without paying a reasonable license fee for our patented technology. Our ambition has always been to reach a mutually fair and reasonable license agreement with Wiko, just as we do with all of our licensees.

Author

Ray is a news editor at The Fast Mode, bringing with him more than 10 years of experience in the wireless industry.

For tips and feedback, email Ray at ray.sharma(at)thefastmode.com, or reach him on LinkedIn @raysharma10, Facebook @1RaySharma

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