Unwired Planet
Unwired Planet is a Redwood City-based holder of Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) in telecommunications, monetizing a legacy mobile-internet patent portfolio through FRAND licensing and enforcement against major telecom implementers such as Huawei.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersRedwood City, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Unwired Planet firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Unwired Planet
- Legal name
- Panoptis, LLC
- Website
- https://unwiredplanet.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Unwired Planet is a Redwood City-based holder of Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) in telecommunications, monetizing a legacy mobile-internet patent portfolio through FRAND licensing and enforcement against major telecom implementers such as Huawei.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Unwired Planet industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Intellectual Property Licensing
- NAICS
- Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works) (533), Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works) (533110)
- SIC
- Patent Owners & Lessors (6794)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Standards-Essential Patents (SEP) & FRAND Advisory (BPAHAMAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Intellectual Property (IP) Law (BPAHAAAF)
Keywords
Where Unwired Planet is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Redwood City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Unwired Planet business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Unwired Planet product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Unwired Planet holds and licenses a portfolio of Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) covering foundational mobile Internet and telecommunications technologies. The company monetizes its intellectual property estate through FRAND-based licensing arrangements and patent enforcement litigation against implementers of telecommunications standards.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Standard Essential Patent (SEP) Portfolio Licensing A portfolio of Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) covering foundational mobile Internet and telecommunications technologies, licensed to manufacturers implementing industry standards under FRAND (Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory) terms. Customers are telecommunications equipment, handset, and infrastructure manufacturers globally.
- FRAND Rate-Setting Enforcement Litigation Patent enforcement actions against implementers of telecommunications standards, conducted to establish FRAND royalty rates for the company's SEP portfolio and secure licensing revenue. Targeted at manufacturers implementing covered standards without an existing license.
Companies that use Unwired Planet
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles1 record
Unwired Planet technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Unwired Planet partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Unwired Planet competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sisvel: Sisvel is an intellectual property management company that pools, licenses, and enforces patents including SEPs in wireless communication standards. It is comparable because it operates a patent licensing business model on FRAND terms targeting implementers of standards.
- Optis Wireless Technology: Optis is a non-practicing entity that monetizes a portfolio of wireless SEPs through licensing and litigation. It is directly comparable as a focused SEP assertion entity targeting major smartphone and telecom equipment makers, similar to Unwired Planet's licensing posture against Huawei.
- Acacia Research: Acacia Research is a patent licensing and assertion entity that partners with inventors and patent owners to monetize patent portfolios. It is directly comparable as an asset-light company whose value is derived from licensing and asserting patents, similar to Unwired Planet's licensing model.
- Conversant Intellectual Property Management: Conversant is a patent licensing company that monetizes technology patents including wireless and digital communications SEPs. It is directly comparable as a pure-play licensing entity operating in the same SEP space.
- Wi-LAN (a Quarterhill company): Wi-LAN/Quarterhill is a patent licensing business that acquires and monetizes patents including wireless and telecom technologies. It is directly comparable as a SEP and wireless patent licensor pursuing licensing revenue from implementers.
- PanOptis (Solas / Allium): PanOptis is an IP management and licensing firm that identifies valuable patents and markets them to global implementers under FRAND terms. It is directly comparable as a SEP-focused licensing and patent portfolio management business and is referenced in the same data set as structurally aligned with Unwired Planet.
- InterDigital: InterDigital is a pure-play R&D and licensing company for mobile, video, and wireless SEPs. It is directly comparable to Unwired Planet as both monetize SEP portfolios through licensing and high-profile FRAND litigation, and InterDigital v Lenovo is one of the landmark cases alongside Unwired Planet v Huawei.
Broad incumbents
- Nokia (Patent Licensing): Nokia's Technology division is one of the largest SEP licensors for mobile communications standards and was a party in major FRAND proceedings. It is a broad incumbent in the same SEP licensing market that Unwired Planet addresses, though Nokia is also a major equipment vendor.
- Ericsson (Patent Licensing): Ericsson's Intellectual Property & Licensing business is a leading licensor of wireless SEPs and was involved in TCL v Ericsson, another landmark FRAND case. It is a broad incumbent comparable due to its large SEP licensing program and FRAND litigation track record.
Emerging players
- RPX Corporation: RPX operates a defensive patent aggregation and licensing platform that helps its members reduce patent litigation risk and includes SEP exposure management. It is comparable as a peer in the broader SEP and patent licensing ecosystem but is more of a defensive/aggregator player than a direct SEP licensor.
Market position
Customer concentration
Unwired Planet social profiles
Digital presenceUnwired Planet financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Unwired Planet leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Unwired Planet funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Unwired Planet M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Unwired Planet
What does Unwired Planet do?
Unwired Planet holds and licenses a portfolio of Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) covering foundational mobile Internet and telecommunications technologies. The company monetizes its intellectual property estate through FRAND-based licensing arrangements and patent enforcement litigation against implementers of telecommunications standards.
Is Unwired Planet a public or private company?
Unwired Planet is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Unwired Planet founded?
Unwired Planet was founded in 1994. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Unwired Planet based?
Unwired Planet is headquartered in Redwood City, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Unwired Planet's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sisvel, Optis Wireless Technology, Acacia Research, Conversant Intellectual Property Management, Wi-LAN (a Quarterhill company), PanOptis (Solas / Allium) and InterDigital. Broad incumbents are Nokia (Patent Licensing) and Ericsson (Patent Licensing). RPX Corporation is listed as an emerging player.
Does Unwired Planet have an API?
No public API is recorded for Unwired Planet.
What industry is Unwired Planet in?
Unwired Planet's product category is Intellectual Property Licensing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAMAL, Standards-Essential Patents (SEP) & FRAND Advisory, with a secondary code of BPAHAAAF, Intellectual Property (IP) Law. Its NAICS code is 533 and its SIC code is 6794.