Huawei and Qualcomm Announce Broad Patent License Agreement

Huawei and Qualcomm have agreed a multi-year, broad patent license deal that establishes cross-licenses between their patent portfolios across 5G, compute, AI and networking, and includes Qualcomm’s purchase of certain Huawei U.S. patents in compute, AI, networking and related technologies. The transaction is conditioned on regulatory approvals and is framed around licensing practices that the companies say adhere to fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) principles. The announcement highlights the specific scope (cross-licenses plus patent acquisitions) and the regulatory step needed before closing.

Both companies present the agreement as mutual recognition of long-standing R&D contributions: Huawei emphasizes decades of foundational work in 4G/5G (citing technologies like polar codes) while Qualcomm underscores its role in enabling successive wireless generations and the success of its 5G SEP licensing program. Company statements and a short Q&A reiterate the deal’s mechanics and fields covered, signaling a settlement of intellectual property positions and a commercial alignment around licensing and patent transfers.