https://www.cs.wustl.edu/~jain/cse574-16/ftp/j_14ahl4.pdf is a good overview of the technical differences between WiFi HaLow (802.11ah) and LoRaWAN.

The specs are open: https://resources.lora-alliance.org/technical-specifications

The Lora Alliance publishes their patent policy here: https://lora-alliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/LA-IPR-...

I encourage reviewing "7.4 LoRaWAN 1.0 Copyright License to Implementers", which appears responsive to your question.

That’s just a copyright license for the specification documents.

A patent license is a horse of a different color. 7.4 explicitly denies that it serves as a patent license:

> This license shall not be deemed to grant any right under any patent, patent applications or similar intellectual property right.

Just because the specs are open it does not permit you to manufacture or sell the devices without a patent license.

Makes sense, thanks for the interpretation.