Sisvel hosted its annual Connect 2026 conference in Barcelona, gathering over 250 IP professionals to discuss standardization trends in 6G, Wi-Fi, and the AV2 codec. The event focused on the role of patent pools, FRAND licensing transparency, and the integration of AI tools within intellectual property workflows.
The recognition of AV2 as part of a multi-decade codec evolution suggests a more stable, albeit complex, licensing environment for streaming hardware and software providers. As connectivity standards like 6G and Wi-Fi 9 converge around AI and sensing, incumbents with deep patent portfolios are likely to maintain market leverage, potentially raising barriers for new entrants. This shift toward reliability and AI integration across the stack forces streaming strategists to account for long-term IP costs rather than expecting radical technical departures. Watch for the 3GPP plenary results in Madrid to confirm how much 5G architecture will be recycled for the next generation of cellular delivery.
Sisvel has positioned itself as the primary licensing administrator for Alliance for Open Media codecs, having built its AV1 patent pool to cover approximately 50% of the AV1 finished product market with 21 patent owners contributing over 1,900 patents. The pool's public patent list details 1,941 patents owned by 21 licensors, each independently evaluated for essentiality to the AV1 specification, with royalty rates and a template sublicence agreement published openly. This track record gives Sisvel a structural advantage as it prepares to replicate the model for AV2, where the company has already begun technical due diligence through its Sisvel Tech R&D unit.
On the licensing front, Sisvel's President and CEO Mattia Fogliacco has argued that AV2 will not be royalty-free despite AOM's marketing claims, and that licensing patents reading on proprietary video technology differs fundamentally from FRAND licensing of SEPs covering open standards. The company's position is that combining proprietary video patents and FRAND-encumbered SEPs into a single pool would be a category error, a stance that could shape how implementers structure their AV2 licensing strategies. Sisvel has stated it is already working with several patent owners to identify which parts of their portfolios may be relevant to AV2, and has invited interested parties to engage before the full specification release.
The broader standardization landscape discussed at Sisvel Connect 2026 includes 6G, where 3GPP held its first official workshop on 6G during plenary meetings in Incheon, South Korea, signaling the formal kick-off of next-generation cellular standardization. Sisvel Tech has stepped up its involvement within standardization organizations as 3GPP transitions from Release 19, the final 5G update scheduled to freeze after Q2 2025, toward 6G development. For streaming delivery strategists, the convergence of codec licensing complexity and evolving cellular standards means that long-term IP cost modeling must account for both video compression royalties and connectivity patent obligations simultaneously.
At Sisvel Connect 2026, industry experts identified AV2 as an evolution of existing video coding rather than a standalone technology. This shift, alongside 6G development, favors incumbent patent holders. For streaming providers, this signals a complex, stable licensing environment where long-term IP cost modeling must account for both video and connectivity standards.
AV2 is increasingly recognized as an evolution of existing video coding innovations rather than a standalone technology. Sisvel is currently conducting technical due diligence through its Sisvel Tech R&D unit and working with patent owners to identify relevant portfolios.
Sisvel President and CEO Mattia Fogliacco has argued that AV2 will not be royalty-free, noting that licensing patents for proprietary video technology differs from FRAND licensing of standard-essential patents.
6G development is prioritizing AI application support and sensing capabilities while overlapping with 5G. Streaming strategists must account for long-term IP costs, as the convergence of codec licensing and cellular standards requires modeling both video compression royalties and connectivity patent obligations.
Wi-Fi 8 deployment is shifting its primary focus toward ultra-high reliability rather than raw speed increases.
Add StreamingMeme as a preferred source on Google to see more of our streaming news at the top of your Search results.
Add as preferred source
