OTTAWA, Canada – July 25, 2007 – Wi-LAN Inc. (TSX: WIN) (“Wi-LAN”), a leading technology licensing company, today announced that it has signed a term sheet (“Term Sheet”) with Fujitsu Limited (“Fujitsu”). The Term Sheet contemplates Fujitsu taking a license to the entire Wi-LAN patent portfolio under Wi-LAN’s Early License Program. The parties will work to sign a formal agreement at the earliest possible time containing the business points agreed upon in the Term Sheet.
When the formal agreement is executed, Fujitsu will receive a license to the entire Wi-LAN patent portfolio. This will extend Fujitsu’s license from products compliant with the WiMAX 802.16d standard to all Fujitsu products. Under the Term Sheet, Fujitsu will make cash payments to Wi-LAN. In partial consideration for this license, Fujitsu will also transfer patents to Wi-LAN. Wi-LAN is in the process of obtaining an independent valuation for these patents. Additional details in the Term Sheet must be kept confidential.
“We are pleased that Fujitsu and Wi-LAN have reached an agreement for a license to our entire portfolio,” said Jim Skippen, Wi-LAN President & CEO. “As the fourth company to sign under our Early License Program, Fujitsu will join a growing list of companies that are recognizing the significance of our intellectual property to both current and future products. We are also pleased that we have been able to secure valuable patents as part of the consideration for the license.”
“The Early License Program, which ends on July 31st, 2007, was introduced last October in order to accelerate progress in our newly launched licensing program. Specifically, it was intended to give companies an opportunity to take a license on more favorable terms provided the company acted quickly in completing negotiations. Although our Early License Program is winding down, we continue to be in discussions and negotiations with many companies.”
About Wi-LAN
Wi-LAN, founded in 1992, licenses intellectual property applicable to a full range of products providing access in the communications and consumer electronics markets. Some of the fundamental technologies covered by Wi-LAN’s patents include: CDMA, DOCSIS, DSL, V-chip, Wi-Fi and WiMAX. Wi-LAN has already licensed its intellectual property to a number of companies around the world. For more information: www.wilan.com.
Forward-looking Information
Certain statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, may include forward-looking information that involves various risks and uncertainties. These may include, without limitation, statements based on current expectations involving a number of risks and uncertainties related to all aspects of the wireless and wireline communications industry and the global economy. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not restricted to: the almost exclusive reliance of the Company on licensing its patent portfolio to generate revenues and cash flows; that the Company may be required to establish the enforceability of its patents in court to obtain material licensing revenues; that the Company will need to acquire or develop new patents to continue to grow its business; that the Company requires investment to translate its intellectual property position into sustainable profit in the market; that the Company is dependent on the performance of its key officers and employees; that changes in patent legislation or in the interpretation or application of patent litigation could materially adversely affect the Company; and that the Company has and may make acquisitions of products, technologies or businesses which could materially adversely affect the Company. These risks and uncertainties may cause actual results to differ from information contained herein, when estimates and assumptions have been used to measure and report results. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change.
All trademarks and brands mentioned in this release are the property of their respective owners.
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For more information, please contact Wi-LAN:
Jim Skippen,
President & CEO
O: 613.688.3898
E: jskippen@wi-lan.com
Lynne Bermel,
Director Corporate Communications
C: 613.864.4058
O: 613.688.4897
E: lbermel@wi-lan.com
