OPPO, one of the world’s leading smartphone brands, has signed a major cooperation agreement with telecommunications giant Ericsson for 5G technologies. This agreement includes comprehensive cooperation such as global patent cross-licensing, technical cooperation, and market expansion. OPPO Chief Intellectual Property Officer Feng Ying stated that this cooperation agreement respects and mutually recognizes the intellectual property rights of both companies.
Feng Ying said that the agreement covers standard-based patents related to cellular communication technologies including 5G, and that this cooperation has laid a solid foundation. Ying emphasized that OPPO has always attached great importance to intellectual property and advocated reasonable pricing policies to protect these values, and said that they support the establishment of a long-term and healthy intellectual property ecosystem. He also stated that they aim to resolve patent disputes through friendly negotiations.
OPPO’s activities in the field of patents
Since its founding nearly 20 years ago, OPPO has achieved significant patent achievements by investing heavily in research and development. As of June 30, 2024, OPPO has filed more than 103,000 patents worldwide and obtained more than 57,000 patents. 91% of these patents are utility model patents, reflecting OPPO’s innovative approach. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), OPPO ranked ninth globally in patent applications filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) in 2023, marking its fifth consecutive year in the global top ten.
As a major holder of 5G standard-based patents (SEPs), OPPO is a global leader in smart device innovation. As both an innovator and implementer of technology standards, the company actively promotes the popularization of 5G technologies across the industry. As of June 30, 2024, OPPO has filed more than 6,200 global patent families for 5G communication standards in more than 40 countries and regions. It has submitted more than 3,700 5G applications to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and more than 12,000 standard documents to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).
According to the “Global 5G Standard-Based Patents and Standard Proposals Work Report (2023)” published by the China Academy of Information and Communication Technology (CAICT) and the “Global 5G Standard-Based Patent Strength Report” published by IPlytics in October 2023, OPPO ranks high in terms of 5G SEP strength worldwide. These reports reveal OPPO’s advanced level in 5G technologies and its status as a major player in the global market.
This cooperation agreement signed between OPPO and Ericsson is considered a big step for the future of 5G technologies. The cooperation of the two companies in this area will enable 5G to reach a wider audience and accelerate technological developments.