First License to Cover 3GPP Infrastructure Starts with 11 Patent Holders

CHEVY CHASE, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alium, a joint venture between MPEG LA and Unified Patents, today announced the availability of the Open RAN Patent Portfolio License (“Open RAN License” or “License”), the first patent pool to address licensing uncertainty in the RAN (“Radio Access Network”) infrastructure space. Open RAN lowers costs and increases competition, providing network operators with greater control and flexibility in deploying 4G and next generation 5G networks; and accessibility to the essential patents made possible by the Open RAN License supports Open RAN’s adoption.

“Open RAN is a groundbreaking technology ready to blossom and grow with the availability of a pool license offering affordable access, freedom to operate, reduced litigation risk, and business certainty for suppliers and users,” said Alium Manager Larry Horn. “With its potential to accelerate Open RAN market adoption and growth, the Alium pool license will help speed 5G adoption and the delivery of 5G services to the public.”

“Alium takes pride in introducing a number of innovative features to the patent licensing landscape,” said Alium Manager Kevin Jakel. “The use of an AI-based tool for determining royalty allocations allows participation at no cost to patent holders and assures the feasibility of a patent pool with tens of thousands of patents that would not otherwise be possible. In addition, Alium provides a patent quality program designed to promote the market’s trust in the Open RAN Standard. We applaud the initial group of technology leaders for their foresight in embarking on this groundbreaking initiative.”

The initial patent owners to Alium’s Open RAN License are Acer Incorporated; AT&T Intellectual Property, LLC; Cable Television Laboratories, Inc.; Comcast Cable Communications, LLC; Godo Kaisha IP Bridge 1; Koninklijke Philips N.V.; Meta Platforms, Inc.; Mitsubishi Electric Corporation; Pantech Corporation (including Pantech Wireless, LLC); SK Telecom Co., Ltd.; and Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.

The Open RAN Patent Portfolio License and a summary of the License terms may be found here.

Alium’s objective is to offer worldwide access to as many Open RAN essential patents as possible to everyone on the same terms under a single license. Therefore, Alium welcomes the participation of any party with at least one patent that is essential to the Open RAN Standard. For more information, please go to https://www.alium-llc.com/licensors.

Alium

Alium, a joint venture between MPEG LA and Unified Patents, supports Open RAN with the first patent pool for telecommunications infrastructure. Open RAN provides network operators with greater control and flexibility in deploying 4G and next generation 5G networks, and the Alium patent pool provides a one-stop solution to the uncertainty and risk posed by as many as tens of thousands of patents owned by numerous patent owners that cover the 3GPP standardized lower physical layer functionalities performed by radio units applying the O-RAN Alliance’s 7-2x baseband architecture split.