NOTE 10 —Commitments and Contingencies

Operating leases—The Company leases several facilities under noncancelable operating leases that begin expiring in 2020. The Company recognizes rent expense on a straight-line basis over the lease period.

Future minimum lease payments under noncancelable operating lease commitments are approximately as follows:

Rent expense was approximately $1,243 and $946 for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018.  

Purchase Commitments—The aggregate amount of noncancelable purchase orders as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, was approximately $1,022 and $4,650, respectively, and were related to the purchase of components of our devices.  

Royalty payments—The Company is required to pay per unit royalties to wireless essential patent holders and other providers of integrated technologies on mobile devices delivered, which, in aggregate, amount to less than 5% of net revenues associated with each unit, and expire in 2021 and 2023. Royalty expense for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, was $2,886 and $2,529,   respectively, which are included in cost of revenues on the consolidated statements of operations.

Securities litigation—On September 20, 2019, a purported Sonim stockholder who allegedly purchased stock registered in Sonim’s initial public offering (“IPO”) filed a putative class action complaint in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of San Mateo, captioned Pearson v. Sonim Technologies, Inc., et al., Case No. 19CIV05564, on behalf of himself and others who purchased shares of Sonim registered in the IPO (the “Pearson Action”).  On October 4 and 16, 2019, two additional purported class action complaints substantially similar to the Pearson Action were filed on behalf of different plaintiffs yet the same putative class of Sonim stockholders, in the same court as the Pearson Action.  On October 7, 2019, a substantially similar putative class action lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.  All four complaints allege violations of the Securities Act of 1933 by Sonim and certain of its current and former officers and directors for, among other things, alleged false or misleading statements and omissions in the registration statement issued in connection with the IPO, relating primarily to an alleged failure to disclose software defects in Sonim’s phones and alleged misstatements about performance characteristics of Sonim’s phones.  Sonim intends to defend these matters vigorously.  An adverse outcome in any of these matters, however, could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows for a particular period.  Due to the uncertainly of the outcome of this matter, the Company has not recorded any accruals as of December 31, 2019.  

General litigation—The Company is involved in various other legal proceedings arising in the normal course of business.  The Company does not believe that the ultimate resolution of these other matters will have a material adverse effect on its consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.  

The results of any future litigation cannot be predicted with certainty and, regardless of the outcome, litigation can have an adverse impact on us because of defense and settlement costs, diversion of management time and resources and other factors.  

Indemnification—Under the terms of its agreements with wireless carriers and other partners, the Company has agreed to provide indemnification for intellectual property infringement claims related to the Company’s product sold by them to their end customers. From time to time, the Company receives notices from these wireless carriers and other partners of a claim for infringement of intellectual property rights potentially related to their products. These infringement claims have been settled, dismissed, have not been further pursued by the customers, or are pending further action by the Company.  

Contingent severance obligations—The Company has agreements in place with certain key employees (Executive Severance Arrangement) guaranteeing severance payments under certain circumstances. Generally, in the event of termination by the Company without cause, termination due to death or disability, or resignation for good reason, the Company is obligated to the pay the employees: (i) any time before a Change in Control, amounts up to $1,754 or (ii) if at any time within 12 months of a Change in Control, amounts up to $2,345.   As of December 31, 2019, and 2018, no accrual has been recorded.  

On December 11, 2019, the Board of Directors of Sonim Technologies, Inc. (the “Company”) approved the Sonim Technologies Inc. Transaction Bonus Plan (the “Plan”) that is intended to incentivize Company employees who are in a position to significantly impact the value received by the Company’s stockholders in a change of control transaction. Pursuant to the Plan, upon consummation of a change of control transaction, 10% of the consideration payable to Company stockholders, after deducting transaction expenses, will be distributed to Plan participants, including the Company’s named executive officers. The Plan has a three year term and may be extended by the administrator of the Plan. Subject to the terms of the Plan, participants must be continuously providing services to the Company through the date of the closing of a change in control transaction to be eligible to receive a bonus thereunder, and payment is contingent upon delivery and non-revocation of a general release of claims. In connection with the adoption of the Plan, the Company’s Board of Directors allocated a 50% interest in the Plan to Thomas Wiley Wilkinson, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, and a 10% interest in the Plan to Robert Tirva, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, 5% to Randy Denny, Chief Sales Officer, John Graff, Chief Marketing Officer, Peter Liu, EVP of Global Operations, and Bengt Jonassen, SVP of Engineering and 2.5% to Stephanie Sogawa, Legal Counsel and Katie Smith, Chief of Staff.