October DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsPC HealthRecommendedCrashes, freezes, slowdowns? Check your PC nowSpot repairable issues before they interrupt work.Check PCOctober DealsAmazon USDeal season is back - check today's better picksAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.See Picks×
Skip to content
The Finance Base
FRAND

MediaTek’s Huawei Patent Countersuit: What the Cross-Border Dispute Means

Huawei sued MediaTek in China; MediaTek filed a separate English action. The UK court later addressed jurisdiction and recorded a limited patent-enforcement undertaking through 2030.

By TheFinanceBase Team 6 min read
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

MediaTek responded to Huawei’s patent case in China with a separate action in England and Wales, turning a dispute over cellular technology and licensing into litigation across several countries. The English claim was filed on July 15, 2024—before the Chinese case became widely public—and the UK court issued important procedural rulings in 2025. Huawei later undertook not to enforce specified UK 4G and 5G patents against MediaTek’s claimants through December 31, 2030. That undertaking is significant, but it is not a finding that either company won the global dispute.

What happened between MediaTek and Huawei?

Huawei sued MediaTek over alleged patent infringement in China in July 2024. MediaTek then brought its own case in the High Court of England and Wales. Although headlines often called it a countersuit, it was a separate English action—not a counterclaim filed in Huawei’s Chinese proceeding.

Date Development
July 15, 2024 MediaTek, HFI Innovation and MTK Wireless issued their claim in England and Wales, according to the UK High Court judgment.
July 18–19, 2024 Reports emerged of Huawei’s Chinese patent action; MediaTek acknowledged the litigation in a Taiwan Stock Exchange clarification, as reported by Yicai.
July 26, 2024 MediaTek’s English case was reported publicly. Contemporary coverage described the response as a countersuit; see Gizmochina’s report.
March 18, 2025 The High Court issued a judgment on jurisdiction and related procedural issues in [2025] EWHC 649 (Pat).
April 15, 2025 The court issued a further procedural judgment, [2025] EWHC 1016 (Pat); see the approved judgment.
July 4, 2025 A consequential judgment recorded Huawei’s undertaking concerning enforcement of designated UK patents through December 31, 2030.

The English claimants were MediaTek, Inc., HFI Innovation, Inc. and MTK Wireless Limited. The defendants were Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. and Huawei Technologies (UK) Co., Ltd. HFI Innovation and MTK Wireless are MediaTek-group entities involved in patent-related matters, not separate chip manufacturers. The party details and filing date appear in the High Court judgment.

What technology and patents are involved?

The dispute concerns cellular communications patents, including patents declared essential to 4G and 5G standards. The High Court judgment records that Huawei’s Shenzhen claims involved two patents declared essential to 4G and one declared essential to 5G. MediaTek also pursued infringement and invalidity-related claims in the wider litigation.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
#1 Best Overall
Sale
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, Unlocked Android Smartphone, 512GB, Black
  • PRIVACY DISPLAY: Automatically hide your screen from those beside you. The built-in privacy display can be preset¹ to turn on when receiving notifications, typing passwords, or using specific apps
  • TYPE IT IN. TRANSFORM IT FAST: Enhance any shot in seconds on your smartphone by using Photo Assist² with Galaxy AI.³ Add objects, restore details, or apply new styles by simply typing or tapping
  • NIGHTS, CAPTURED CLEARLY: From gigs to city lights, record and capture moments after dark with clarity using Nightography so your photos and videos stay crisp and clear on your Samsung Galaxy
  • MAKE IT. EDIT IT. SHARE IT: Turn everyday moments into something personal with creative tools built right into your mobile phone, whether it’s a special contact photo, custom wallpaper, an invitation or more⁴
  • HELP THAT KEEPS UP: Stay in the moment while Now Nudge with Galaxy AI helps you respond faster and stay organized with smart suggestions⁵ that appear exactly when you need them on your phone

What a standard-essential patent means

A standard-essential patent, or SEP, is a patent said to cover technology required to implement an industry standard. A declaration of essentiality does not itself establish that a patent is valid, that a particular product infringes it, or that the patent can be enforced in a given case. Those are distinct questions.

How FRAND fits in

SEP holders commonly make commitments to license relevant patents on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. A dispute can therefore involve both patent questions—such as validity and infringement—and contractual or licensing questions about what a FRAND offer should require. The initial public reports did not disclose enough to identify specific patent numbers, technical claim elements, chip models or royalty rates, and those details should not be inferred.

Why licensing terms appear to be central

Reporting by IAM and other outlets described negotiations lasting roughly two to three years and a disagreement about licensing terms. Some reports characterized Huawei’s position as favoring licensing at the component or chipset level rather than relying only on licences at the handset or other end-product level. These are reported accounts of negotiations; the public court record does not establish every private proposal or the parties’ full bargaining positions.

Rank #2
XIAOMI Poco X7 PRO 5G + 4G LTE (for Tmobile Mint Tello & Global) (512GB + 12GB) Ai 6.67" 50MP Gamers Phone NFC Dual sim Unlocked Model 2412DPC0AG (Black)
  • USA MARKET ONLY WORK ON TMOBILE MINT TELLO OR ANY UNDER TMOBILE NETWORK PHONE NEEDS A SIM CARD ALREADY ACTIVATED ,OUTSIDE USA WORKS ANY GSM CARRIER SIM GSM FCC ID: 2AFZZPC0AG
  • Dual sim (NO MICRO SD) 5G: Sub6G: n1/3/5/7/8/20/28/38/40/41/77/78 4G: LTE FDD: B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/20/28/66 4G: LTE TDD: B38/40/41 3G: WCDMA:1/2/4/5/8/19 2G: GSM: Quad Band Wireless Networks -- Bluetooth 5.4Wi-Fi Protocol: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax
  • 6.67" CrystalRes AMOLED displayResolution: 2712 x 1220 (1.5K resolution)Refresh rate: Up to 120HzTouch sampling rate: 480Hz touch sampling rate,2560Hz instant touch sampling rate,16X super resolution touch *2560Hz instant touch sampling rate supports only with Game Turbo mode on.AdaptiveSync displayBrightness: 700 nits (typ), 1400 nits(HBM brightness), 3200 nits(peak brightness)Color depth: 12bitContrast ratio: 5,000,000:1Color gamut: DCI-P3 (typ)Corning Gorilla Glass 7iSupports Dolby VisionSupports sunlight mode |Supports reading mode|
  • Dimensity 8400-Ultra4nm manufacturing processCPU: Octa-core CPU, up to 3.25GHzGPU: Mali-G720
  • Beidou:B1I|GPS:L1|Galileo:E1 GLONASS:G1|QZSS:L1 | A-GPS supplementary positioning Wireless network | Data network||Sensor Assisted Positioning

Component-level versus handset-level licensing

A component-level licence would address use of relevant technology in a component such as a modem or chipset. An end-product licence would address a finished device such as a phone. The choice can affect which company takes a licence and how parties calculate or negotiate payment, but this case’s publicly established record does not provide a final royalty formula or rate.

Free tools Windows power users keep installed

One-click scans. No signup required.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Claims that the litigation was designed to shift royalties from handset makers to MediaTek or Qualcomm, or to pressure a particular competitor, remain interpretations rather than established findings. The verified facts support a licensing dispute; they do not prove a particular strategic motive.

Why are courts in several countries involved?

Patent rights are territorial: a patent granted in one country does not automatically create an enforceable right in another. A company alleging infringement may therefore bring claims in places where relevant patents exist or products are made, used or sold. At the same time, a worldwide licensing disagreement can raise contractual and FRAND questions that cross borders.

Rank #3
Huness 26 Ultra Unlocked Cell Phone,Built in Pen,16+1TB Unlocked Phone, Android 15 Battery 7000mAh 6.99" HD Screen Smartphone, 5G/Face ID/Fingerprint Lock/Dual SIM/GPS (Silver Blue)
  • In the United States, Cricket, Metro, Straight, Mint, and Spectrum are not compatible, while all other operators are compatible.Compatible with all European operators. 1️⃣ 【Snapdragon8s Gen4 Dominance】 Unlike ordinary phones with outdated chips, the 26 Ultra harnesses the 4nm Snapdragon8s Gen4 for 30% faster CPU/GPU performance. Multitask between 12GB RAM-powered apps or edit 4K videos seamlessly - no lag, no throttling. Gamers rejoice: Adreno 750 GPU crushes 90% mobile games at max settings, while competitors struggle with frame drops.
  • In the United States, Cricket, Metro, Straight, Mint, and Spectrum are not compatible, while all other operators are compatible.Compatible with all European operators. 【Snapdragon8 Gen3】 Snapdragon8 Gen3 12 Core CPU with 16GB+1TB of memory is enough for you to use any application simultaneously, including watching movies and playing games. Install an additional storage card to easily store your favorite music, videos, and pictures.
  • 【6.99 HD+ Android 15.0】 This is an Android Cell phone with a large screen,6.99”HD+ Display 1440*3040,This unlocked Android 15.0 26 Ultra phone is equipped with a 108MP main camera and a 68MP front facing camera, better recording a beautiful life and showcasing your beauty. And it has facial recognition and Fingerprint button unlock and Quick button for taking photos,which effectively protect your privacy.
  • 【7000mAh Long lasting battery】The 26 Ultra is powered by a large 7000mAh battery, providing you with the power you need for a day and allowing you to play freely.
  • 【Business Services】The main additional features of this phone include: Fingerprint unlock+Face ID+Dual SIM+GPS+Bluetooth+WIFI+FM, and accessories include: Phone, Screen Protector, Earphone, Phone Case, Power Adapter, USB Cable, Pen, Clip pin. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us and we will solve them as soon as possible within 7 * 24 hours.

The High Court judgment describes proceedings connected with China, England and Wales, and Germany, as well as Chinese litigation in courts including Shenzhen, Hangzhou and Zhengzhou. MediaTek’s 2025 second-quarter financial report also refers to Huawei-related patent litigation in Brazil, showing why the English case should not be treated as the whole dispute. See the MediaTek Q2 2025 report.

An English ruling does not automatically decide whether a Chinese patent was infringed in China or determine the result of a German or Brazilian case. Courts can nonetheless consider questions about jurisdiction, contractual licensing commitments or relief affecting proceedings before them, so one country’s decisions may influence the wider litigation.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

What did the UK High Court decide?

In its March 18, 2025 judgment, the High Court considered Huawei’s objections to the English proceedings, including jurisdiction, forum and service-related issues. The court did not resolve every patent-infringement allegation on its merits. It rejected or did not accept all of Huawei’s jurisdictional objections, allowing important parts of MediaTek’s English case to proceed. The ruling also addressed the legal basis for FRAND-related claims, treating relevant issues as connected to contractual obligations arising from Huawei’s standards commitments rather than simply as an attempt to set a worldwide licence beyond the court’s authority. The judgment is available as [2025] EWHC 649 (Pat).

Rank #4
Sale
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, Unlocked Android Smartphone, 512GB, Cobalt Violet
  • PRIVACY DISPLAY: Automatically hide your screen from those beside you. The built-in privacy display can be preset¹ to turn on when receiving notifications, typing passwords, or using specific apps
  • TYPE IT IN. TRANSFORM IT FAST: Enhance any shot in seconds on your smartphone by using Photo Assist² with Galaxy AI.³ Add objects, restore details, or apply new styles by simply typing or tapping
  • NIGHTS, CAPTURED CLEARLY: From gigs to city lights, record and capture moments after dark with clarity using Nightography so your photos and videos stay crisp and clear on your Samsung Galaxy
  • MAKE IT. EDIT IT. SHARE IT: Turn everyday moments into something personal with creative tools built right into your mobile phone, whether it’s a special contact photo, custom wallpaper, an invitation or more⁴
  • HELP THAT KEEPS UP: Stay in the moment while Now Nudge with Galaxy AI helps you respond faster and stay organized with smart suggestions⁵ that appear exactly when you need them on your phone

A jurisdiction or forum ruling determines whether and how a case may proceed in a particular court; it is not the same as a final decision that a patent is valid, infringed or worth a specified royalty. The later April judgment continued the procedural history, but it likewise should not be confused with a global merits judgment.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

What does Huawei’s undertaking through 2030 do?

On July 4, 2025, the High Court recorded Huawei’s undertaking that it would not seek to enforce designated UK 4G and 5G essential patents against the MediaTek claimants until December 31, 2030, subject to the terms of the order. Huawei also undertook to procure equivalent treatment for relevant Huawei-group affiliates. The order is in [2025] EWHC 1689 (Pat).

This is a meaningful limit on enforcement of the specified UK patents against the covered parties during the stated period. It is not, by itself, a worldwide settlement, a ruling that Huawei’s patents are invalid, a finding that MediaTek infringed Huawei patents, or a resolution of every claim in other countries.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Best Value
Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G | 2024 | Unlocked | Made for US 8/128GB | 50MP Camera | Caramel Latte
  • NEW built-in stylus. Jot notes, edit photos, sketch artwork, and navigate effortlessly with an improved stylus and updated software.
  • 6.7" pOLED display and Dolby Atmos. Experience cinema-quality entertainment with over a billion shades of color and multidimensional sound*.
  • 50MP Ultra Pixel camera + OIS. Capture sharper low-light photos and smoother videos with an unshakable camera system featuring Optical Image Stabilization.
  • 30W TurboPower charging + over a day battery. Get hours of power in just minutes of charging, then work and play with unbelievable battery life**.
  • Standout design. Make a statement with its stunning look, modern color, and soft, vegan leather finish.

Does the case affect phones, chip supply or consumers?

The available sources do not establish an immediate product ban, supply interruption or consumer price increase caused by this dispute. Its demonstrated near-term significance is legal and strategic: the cases concern patent rights and licensing, while the 2025 UK undertaking limits enforcement of specified patents in a defined jurisdiction and against covered parties.

Licensing outcomes can matter commercially to chip suppliers and device makers because they influence who must obtain licences and on what terms. But no verified royalty figure, final licence rate or confirmed pass-through to smartphone prices is established here. Nor does the public record establish an effect on Qualcomm or another chipmaker’s products or licensing obligations.

What remains unresolved?

  • Final findings on the validity, essentiality, infringement and enforceability of the disputed patents.
  • Outcomes of the related proceedings in China, Germany, Brazil and any other jurisdictions.
  • The parties’ ultimate global licensing terms, including any royalty rate or settlement.
  • The full scope of the patents, products and affiliates covered by claims and undertakings.

The 2025 UK rulings and Huawei’s undertaking materially shaped the English proceedings, but the available public record does not establish that all international claims were finally resolved.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More from the Money Desk

Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They SpreadFree repair scan
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?Free driver scan

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.