Context: Enhanced Voice Services (EVS) is an ultra-wideband voice codec technology standardized by 3GPP in 2014. It has since become a core technical foundation for VoLTE and VoNR, and the standard can also be used for cellular call links in TWS earbuds. In December 2024, Via Licensing Alliance launched a pool covering patents related to EVS and IVAS (Immersive Voice and Audio Services) technologies, with Dolby, Huawei (which also joined as a licensee), ETRI, JVCKENWOOD, and NTT already onboard as licensors (December 10, 2024 ip fray article). Two more licensors, Cordial IP K.K. and NovaVoice Limited, joined earlier this year (May 20, 2026 ip fray article). The royalty rates (which combine both EVS and IVAS) are $0.60 per unit, although any company wanting an EVS-only license can contact Via directly.
What’s new: Dolby has sued Nothing Technology and GameGeek (UPC-CFI-0002872/2026) in the UPC’s Munich Local Division (LD) over the alleged infringement of one of its patents related to EVS.
Direct impact: This marks Dolby’s first EVS-related standard-essential patent (SEP) infringement action, as well as the first-ever litigation related to Via’s Voice Codec pool.
Wider ramifications: While this is a first for Via’s Voice Codec pool, it is one of an increasing number of patent disputes being launched in the EVS field. Last year, the UPC saw both Fraunhofer sue Lenovo (September 21, 2025 LinkedIn post by ip fray) and Crystal Clear Codec Technologies sue OPPO subsidiaries (November 30, 2025 ip fray UPC Round-Up) over several EVS patents. Probably among the biggest cases, however, is HMD v. VoiceAge EVS. In January, the Bundesgerichtshof (Federal Court of Justice of Germany) rejected HMD’s position, ruling that it was an unwilling licensee who had offered security below the level of its own licensing counterproposals (January 27, 2026 ip fray article). Two months later, HMD filed a constitutional complaint in the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany, alleging that the Federal Court of Justice’s refusal to refer “essential questions” to the ECJ constitutes a “violation of its constitutional right to the lawful judge” (March 16, 2026 ip fray article).
The patent-in-suit is:
- EP3152755 (“Improving classification between time-domain coding and frequency domain coding”)
The patent was originally Huawei’s, but was transferred to Dolby in November 2025.
The defendants
Nothing Technology is a UK-based device maker responsible for software and hardware R&D for mobile phones and TWS earbuds. It embeds the EVS encoder algorithm in product firmware. The company has become a significant device maker (SOURCE HERE), although it is not yet among the top manufacturers.
Meanwhile, GameGeek is a Hong Kong-based contracting seller for the official EU Nothing website, which imports into and directly sells the accused devices across the region.
Court and counsel
Panel: Presiding Judge Dr. Daniel Voss (“Voß” in German), Judge Dr. Georg Werner, and Judge Petri Rinkinen.
Dolby is being represented by BARDEHLE PAGENBERG’s (ip fray firm profile) Dr. Volkmar Henke.