Firm quietly boosts H.264 streaming license fees from $100,000 up to staggering $4.5 million — backbone codec of the internet gets meteoric increase, AVC hikes follow disastrous H.265 licensing increases

Via Licensing Alliance (Via LA) has significantly increased H.264 streaming license fees, with rates now reaching up to $4.5 million annually for large platforms starting in 2026. The fee restructuring follows previous issues with H.265 licensing that led to bans on laptops in Germany. The new fee structure divides platforms by size, with Tier 1 services facing the highest fees. This escalation in codec licensing costs could impact major streaming platforms and consumer devices, potentially leading to significant industry-wide challenges.