Firm quietly boosts H.264 streaming license fees from $100k up to staggering $4.5M
Summary
Via Licensing Alliance restructured its H.264/AVC streaming license fees, replacing a flat $100,000 cap with a tiered system that tops out at $4.5 million per year for the largest platforms. The change applies to previously unlicensed implementers starting in 2026, while existing license holders retain their terms, reflecting a broader trend of rising codec royalties and potential cost pressures across streaming services and device manufacturers.