Summary
Huawei and Qualcomm announced a multi-year cross-licence covering patents in 5G, compute, AI and networking, alongside Qualcomm’s purchase of certain Huawei U.S. patents. The transaction will close after the necessary regulatory approvals.
Huawei and Qualcomm announced a multi-year patent agreement on October 5, 2026, covering cross-licences across 5G, compute, AI and networking. The arrangement also includes Qualcomm’s purchase of certain Huawei patents in the United States. Huawei says the transaction will close after the necessary regulatory approvals.
What the agreement covers
The cross-licences give each company rights under patents in the other’s portfolio across the technology fields named in the announcement. Cross-licensing is a way for companies to grant one another rights to use patents within an agreed scope; the announcement describes the portfolios and fields broadly, rather than listing individual patents or detailed terms.
Separately, Qualcomm will purchase certain Huawei U.S. patents covering compute, AI, networking and other technologies. That purchase transfers specified patents, while the cross-licences establish reciprocal rights to use patents covered by the agreement.
The companies said the agreement reflects a shared commitment to intellectual-property rights and licensing practices consistent with fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) principles. FRAND is a set of principles used in technology licensing, particularly around patents relevant to implementing standards. The announcement does not describe the terms of the licences or identify which patents are included.
Completion depends on regulatory approvals
The agreement combines patent access across several technology areas with a separate patent purchase. Its scope reaches beyond mobile communications to include compute, AI and networking, while also involving patents held in the United States. The companies present the arrangement as recognition of each other’s contributions to technology development.
The transaction has been announced but is not yet complete: Huawei says it will close after the necessary regulatory approvals are received.