Nokia sells over 450 GSM-vital patents

Sisvel has just announced its acquisition of 47 patent families from phone giant Nokia, which equates to more than 450 patents.

Around 350 of which are alleged to be integral to key GSM, WCDMA and LTE wireless networking functionality.

According to Wireless Week, Nokia's patent catalogue generated $640 million in fees from companies licensing their technology over the second and third quarter of 2010 – a stream of revenue Sisvel clearly wanted a slice of.

Neither company has indicated how much money was exchanged for Sisvel to secure the sizeable patent package but we're betting it didn't come cheap. Even so we can't quite fathom why Nokia would sell on such important networking patents.

Sisvel's chief executive, Giustino de Sanctis, said in a press release:

‘Sisvel has been extremely active in recent years working with the wireless industry to provide simplified access to essential wireless patents on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory, or FRAND, conditions.'

'Acquiring the many essential patents in this key portfolio is a very significant step for Sisvel and a testament to Sisvel's commitment and determination to succeed in this space. We look forward to offering these essential patents on FRAND terms and to continuing our work within the wireless industry.'

So, in terms of these technologies being accessible to other companies via licensing it seems to be business as usual, just with a new custodian.

There is concern from some circles that Sisvel may resort to ‘patent trolling' but whether there's any substance to the idea remains to be seen.