HP has entered into a global multi-year licensing agreement with Huawei to use certain WiFi patents owned by the Chinese telecom giant. This development marks a notable instance of Huawei technology being adopted beyond China, despite the company's ongoing blacklisting by the U.S. government since 2019. HP clarified that the agreement pertains specifically to standard-essential patents concerning WiFi technology, commonly necessary for devices connecting to wireless networks, and is not indicative of a broader strategic partnership between the two firms.

The licensing deal follows the resolution of a patent dispute between HP, Huawei, and other parties that was settled last fall. The settlement provided HP with access to an extensive pool of around 2,000 patents related to wireless network connectivity, including those contributed by Huawei. Huawei is one of the founding members of this patent pool, known as Sisvel WiFi 6, which facilitates cross-licensing arrangements among participating companies.

A key figure in the negotiation was Steven Geiszler, a Texas-based intellectual property lawyer who represented Huawei. Geiszler had previously worked as an in-house IP lawyer for Huawei for nearly ten years before launching his own legal firm with Huawei as a main client. According to Geiszler, the agreement includes valuable reciprocal patent rights from HP, reflecting a balanced exchange of technology licenses between the two companies.

HP is set to report its third-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings on August 26, 2026, shortly after this announcement. The company had been spun off as a separate entity in 2015 following the division of Hewlett-Packard Company into two independent businesses. This licensing agreement with Huawei highlights the complexities of global technology partnerships amid geopolitical challenges and ongoing U.S. restrictions on Chinese technology firms.