Avanci enters market for licensing wi-fi SEPs

Avanci now joins the likes of patent pool Sisvel in licensing wi-fi technology. Today, Avanci announced the launch of its new wi-fi licensing platform aimed specifically at the automotive industry. Its first programme under the new platform, Avanci Wi-Fi 6 Vehicle, consolidates essential wi-fi 6 patent rights into a single licence for automotive manufacturers.

The new platform will also cover SEPs for wi-fi 7.

Kick off with ten patent owners

The Avanci Wi-Fi 6 Vehicle programme brings together ten patent owners. These are Atlas Global, BlackBerry, Canon, ISG, KPN, Malike Innovations, Meizu, NEC, NTT, and Oppo. Avanci states that the licence covers thousands of patented technologies essential to implementing wi-fi 6 connectivity in vehicles.

Avanci has not publicly disclosed the royalty rate per-vehicle, but says the figure is available to prospective licensees on a confidential basis. An early licensee discount applies for companies that conclude a licence agreement before their first sale of a wi-fi-6-compliant vehicle, or within six months of the programme’s launch.

Mercedes is first mover

Mercedes-Benz is the first car manufacturer to have signed a patent sublicence agreement under the programme. Formerly known as Daimler, the carmaker and Avanci pool member Nokia were previously involved in a fierce dispute in German courts over mobile communication SEPs in the so-called connected car wars.

Daimler then accepted an individual Nokia licence in 2022. Nokia also previously agreed wi-fi licences with the car manufacturers in the Stellantis Group.

Daimler rebranded as Mercedes-Benz in 2022. Various brands of the car maker are now licensees of the Avanci Vehicle Programme.

Extension of cellular connectivity model

The Avanci wi-fi platform follows the same model as the company’s cellular programmes by consolidating patent rights from multiple owners into a single licence. This approach aims to simplify licensing for automotive manufacturers, who would otherwise need to negotiate separate agreements with individual patent holders.

Avanci founder and CEO Kasim Alfalahi stated that the company’s position in licensing SEPs for cellular connectivity made it “a natural choice” for wi-fi licensing in the automotive sector. Together, its 4G and 5G Vehicle programmes cover more than 250 million connected vehicles worldwide across more than 140 automotive brands.

“Having established a trusted platform for cellular connectivity in vehicles, we are extending that same transparent and balanced approach to wi-fi to support continued innovation in connected vehicles,” Alfalahi says.

Qudus Olaniran, senior vice president and head of Avanci Wi-Fi, described the new platform as covering one of the most important wireless technologies integrated into modern vehicles after cellular. The technology enables delivery of software updates, diagnostics, mapping data and other high-bandwidth services.

Avanci Wi-Fi is Avanci’s sixth platform. The pool previously launched the platforms Vehicle, Broadcast, Solution, IoT and Video .