Huawei Sets Wi-Fi 7 Patent Fee at $0.50 Per Device

Huawei has set a flat patent licensing fee of $0.50 per device for technology that implements the Wi-Fi 7 standard. The company announced this rate on June 19, 2024, as part of a broader strategy to formalize intellectual property rights for its networking patents. This move establishes a clear cost structure for manufacturers who wish to integrate Huawei's essential patents into their products.

Networking giant formalizes IP rights with flat rate for manufacturers

The licensing program covers the IEEE 802.11be standard, which defines the Wi-Fi 7 protocol. Huawei holds a leading position in Standard Essential Patents for this specific standard. The company offers these licenses through bilateral agreements or via patent pools under Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory principles.

• Patent Licensing Fee: $0.50 per device
• Licensing Principles: Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory (FRAND)
• Standard: IEEE 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7)
• Key Technology: Multi-Link Operation (MLO)
• Modulation: 4096-QAM

Wi-Fi 7 introduces Multi-Link Operation, a feature that allows devices to transmit data simultaneously across 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz frequency bands. The protocol also utilizes 4096-QAM modulation to increase data density. These technical enhancements enable theoretical peak speeds that exceed 30Gbps.

Huawei claims that Wi-Fi 7 provides approximately a 20 percent speed increase over the previous generation. The Multi-Link Operation feature allows seamless switching between frequency bands when interference occurs. This capability significantly reduces latency and jitter for connected devices. Huawei joined the Sisvel Wi-Fi 6 patent pool in July 2022 and expanded its coverage to include Wi-Fi 7 in early 2026.

Fan Zhiyong, Huawei's Chief Intellectual Property Officer, stated that the company aims to balance the interests of innovators and users. He described the licensing initiative as a step toward building a transparent and efficient global Wi-Fi licensing ecosystem. The $0.50 fee applies globally to each device implementing the licensed technology.