Key Takeaways
- HP signed a multi-year global WiFi patent licensing agreement with Huawei.
- The agreement covers standard essential patents used in WiFi technology.
- HP previously gained access to a 2,000-patent wireless connectivity pool.
U.S. personal computing and printing company HP has signed a multi-year global WiFi patent deal, agreeing to license certain WiFi patents from Chinese telecom company Huawei. The deal covers technology used widely across products that connect to WiFi networks and includes reciprocal patent rights from both companies.
HP and Huawei expand WiFi patent licensing
This WiFi patent deal follows an earlier dispute involving HP, Huawei, and other companies over wireless connectivity patents. The dispute was addressed through an arrangement that gave HP access to the Sisvel WiFi 6 patent pool, which contains about 2,000 patents related to wireless network connectivity.
Huawei was among the founding members of the Sisvel WiFi 6 pool. The latest agreement expands the licensing arrangement globally and includes patent rights from HP in return, according to statements from representatives involved in the negotiations.
HP described the latest WiFi patent deal as a standard essential patent license covering WiFi technology. The company said such licensing is common across the technology industry because manufacturers need access to patents covering technical standards used in connected products.
The agreement does not represent a broader strategic partnership or commercial collaboration between the 2 companies, HP said.
For technology businesses, patent licensing can provide access to standardized technologies needed for products without requiring companies to develop every underlying technology themselves. WiFi standards are used across computers, printers, smartphones, networking equipment, and other connected devices.
Deal comes ahead of HP earnings
This WiFi patent deal comes as HP prepares to report its latest quarterly financial results. The company is scheduled to release its fiscal third quarter 2026 earnings on Thursday morning, Beijing time.
HP became a separate company in 2015 after Hewlett-Packard was divided into 2 businesses. The company now focuses on personal computing, printing, and related technology products.
Huawei, meanwhile, remains a major holder of patents covering wireless communications technology. Its involvement in the WiFi 6 patent pool reflects the role of intellectual property in developing and commercializing technical standards used across the global technology industry.
The latest agreement also highlights how patent licensing can extend across companies operating in different markets. For manufacturers, securing rights to standardized technologies can help support the sale and distribution of connected hardware across international markets.
The financial terms of the HP-Huawei agreement were not disclosed. The companies also did not provide details on the number of patents covered by the new global license.
For Indian technology and hardware businesses, the development offers a relevant example of how intellectual property licensing supports products built around widely used connectivity standards. Access to such patents can be a necessary part of developing and selling devices that depend on technologies such as WiFi.
