Qualcomm President Steve Altman recently told investors that Nokia has much more to lose than Qualcomm in ongoing patent license negotiations over CDMA technology, and Qualcomm doesn’t plan to back down. In late May it upped the ante with a high-profile lawsuit in British courts alleging Nokia is infringing on its patents.

Altman’s earlier announcement signaled Qualcomm’s unwillingness to lower royalty payments as the companies try to work out an agreement amid an already prickly licensing relationship. Nokia is one of six companies that complained to European regulators last fall about Qualcomm’s competitive practices. Qualcomm already is suing Nokia for alleged infringement of Qualcomm’s GSM technology.

Qualcomm announced in a 10-Q report filed with the SEC that it may not be able to reach an agreement with Nokia before an existing license expires next April. If that happens, Nokia would no longer be able to sell subscriber products under most of Qualcomm’s patents and Qualcomm would not be able to sell integrated circuits under Nokia’s patents. Nokia’s obligation to pay royalties also would cease.

Altman told a May 4 investor conference in New York that if any agreement is reached before the existing license expires, it is going to be after an “extensive process.” While royalty rates are not negotiable, Altman says there are other ways to reach agreement. For example, he hinted Qualcomm might be able to offer Nokia a GSM license that mirrors its licenses for CDMA technology. Qualcomm provides broad licenses to CDMA patents rather than licensing on a patent-by-patent basis. Qualcomm believes the CDMA structure offers more flexibility to licensees.

While most other CDMA licenses cover current and future patents, Altman says Qualcomm has three other licensees whose agreements will expire in the next 10 years. He did not name the companies but says the first of the three will be up for renewal in 2011.