Vivo

Vivo prepares to stop selling its phones in Germany over Nokia patents

Ben Schoon | Apr 12 2023 - 7:47 am PT

Last year Oppo and OnePlus had to pause all sales in Germany, and now Vivo is facing the same issue under a patent dispute with Nokia.

This week the District Court of Mannheim in Germany reached a decision regarding Nokia and Vivo. The court ruled that, as negotiations regarding licensing fees had failed, Vivo will be forced to cease selling smartphones in Germany if they include technology patented by Nokia. Vivo and Nokia had a deal through 2021 as WinFuture notes, but the license was not renewed.

In a brief press release, Vivo addresses the decision, confirming that it is prepared to stop selling its phones in Germany “if necessary.” The company plans to appeal the decision and “review other options.”

Vivo says that Nokia has not offered a license that can be considered “fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory.”

vivo fully respects intellectual property and is committed to continuous innovation through extensive research and development. In recent years, vivo has entered into cross-licensing agreements with numerous leading companies. We have negotiated with Nokia about renewing the mutual licenses, but so far have not been able to reach an agreement. We firmly believe that Nokia has not yet fulfilled its obligation to offer a license on “FRAND” (fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory) terms.

We have read with disappointment the decision of the District Court of Mannheim and have made preparations to suspend the sale and marketing of the products concerned through the official channels of vivo Germany, if necessary. We are preparing to appeal the decision and will review other options. In the meantime, we will continue negotiations with Nokia to resolve the matter in accordance with “FRAND” terms.

At this point, there is no ban on Vivo phones in Germany, but if the appeal fails, Vivo would face a sales ban.

Oppo recently confirmed that its business in Germany remains “on hold” due to the same dispute with Nokia, and the company is rumored to be considering a larger exodus from Europe, though both Oppo and OnePlus have denied this is true.