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Wi-LAN Inc.: Wi-LAN Completes Series of Patent Acquisitions

^{Published on 2009-05-07 09:04:38, Last Modified on 2009-11-03 07:46:49 - Market Wire}
 

OTTAWA, CANADA--(Marketwire - May 7, 2009) - Wi-LAN Inc. ("Wi-LAN" or the "Company") (TSX:WIN), a leading technology innovation and licensing company, today announced that the Company has completed a series of acquisitions that will add over 200 patented inventions to its portfolio. The acquisitions increase the size of Wi-LAN's portfolio to over 520 issued and pending patents.

The Company has acquired patented technologies from several companies including Airspan Networks Inc., Infineon Technologies AG and Technology Research Laboratories. The inventions being acquired relate primarily to wireless mobile networking, image processing, biometrics, optical networking and multi-antenna wireless systems.

The transactions were completed in the second and third quarters of fiscal 2009. The aggregate amounts to be paid to all parties for the patents acquired are US $13.5 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2009 and US $2.5 million in each of the next three quarters. All other terms of the acquisition agreements are confidential.

"These acquisitions are an important investment in our business and our future. They will serve to strengthen our wireless program significantly, and will also permit the development of new licensing programs," said Jim Skippen, Chairman & CEO. "Our large cash balance, and continuing business success, enables us to make these purchases and still maintain a very strong cash position."

About Wi-LAN

Wi-LAN, founded in 1992, is a leading technology innovation and licensing company. Our portfolio of patented inventions applies to a wide range of consumer electronics and communications products. Technologies in Wi-LAN's patent portfolio may relate to: CDMA, DOCSIS, DSL, multi-mode wireless, V-Chip, Wi-Fi and WiMAX. Wi-LAN has a large and growing portfolio of more than 520 issued or pending patents. Wi-LAN has licensed its intellectual property to over 170 companies. For more information: [ www.wi-lan.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 that face the Company; such statements may contain such words as "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions, and may be based on management's current assumptions and expectations related to all aspects of the wireless and wireline telecommunications industries and the global economy. Risks and uncertainties that may face the Company include, but are not restricted to: licensing of the Company's patents can take an extremely long time and may be subject to variable cycles; the Company is currently reliant on licensees paying royalties under existing licensing agreements and additional licensing of its patent portfolio to generate future revenues and increased cash flows; the Company may be required to establish the enforceability of its patents in court in order to obtain material licensing revenues; changes in patent laws or in the interpretation or application of patent laws could materially adversely affect the Company; a court may determine that certain of the Company's patents are not infringed by certain standards or products or may disagree with management with respect to whether one or more of the Company's patents apply to certain standards or products, which could adversely affect the Company; the Company will need to acquire or develop new patents to continue and grow its business; the Company has made and may make acquisitions of technologies or businesses which could materially adversely affect the Company; the Company may require investment to translate its intellectual property position into sustainable profit in the market; the generation of future V-chip revenues and the likelihood of the Company signing additional V-chip licenses could be negatively impacted by changes in government regulation; the Company is dependent on its key officers and employees; the price of the Company's common shares is volatile and subject to market fluctuation; and the Company may be negatively affected by reduced consumer spending due to the uncertainty of economic and geopolitical conditions.

These risks and uncertainties may cause actual results to differ from information contained in this release, when estimates and assumptions have been used to measure and report results. There can be no assurance that any statements of forward-looking information contained in this release 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 statements containing forward-looking information are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Except as required by applicable laws, the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any statements of forward looking information that speak only as of the date of this release. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's business are contained under the heading "Risk Factors" in Wi-LAN's current Annual Information Form and its other filings with the various Canadian securities regulators which are available online at [ www.sedar.com ].

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States

All trademarks and brands mentioned in this release are the property of their respective owners.