Network infrastructure suppliers CommScope and Kathrein have signed an agreement to cross-license parts of their patent portfolios.
The deal gives Kathrein access to CommScope’s digital DAS patent portfolio, while CommScope gains access to Kathrein’s base station antenna and filter portfolios.
Kathrein has paid an upfront sum and will continue to pay royalties specific to the digital DAS portfolio. Further details of the agreement were not disclosed.
According to the latest research from IHS Markit, the global DAS market slumped 2 percent year-over-year in H1 2016, to $958 million, pulled down by China and the United States. IHS Markit said that the DAS market will grow at a 1.8 percent compound annual growth rate from 2015 to 2020.
Ben Cardwell, Senior Vice President at CommScope Mobility Solutions, claimed the deal was a “win-win for both parties”.
“CommScope engineers will enjoy greater freedom of design, accelerating our research and development in antennas and filters,” he said.
Jürgen Walter, Executive Vice President, Solutions Division at Kathrein, said the agreement reflects the view of both companies that “innovation sharing and standardisation of technology is critical to driving and accelerating industry evolution as we head into 5G customer requirements and future deployments”.
Figures recently showed that ZTE was the leading filer of patents with the World Intellectual Property Organization in 2016.
The China-based vendor filed a total of 4,123 patents with over 1,500 related to 5G technology. Nokia, Huawei and Ericsson would not comment to Mobile Europe on the number of 5G patents that they had filed.