The AVC (H.264) Standard defines a new generation in advanced open standard video compression and decompression technology. AVC provides more than twice the coding efficiency of previous open video coding standards. This means that video files of equal visual quality will be less than half the size they previously would have been using the previous standards. This increase in coding efficiency, combined with the network friendly design (which allows the video stream to be transported across a variety of network types), enables AVC to address many different markets through many different kinds of products.

Using AVC, content can be transmitted to, and used by, a wide variety of products that are connected using both circuit- and packet-switched systems as well as those that are used with fixed media. Through the use of well-defined profiles and levels within each profile, the AVC Standard can accommodate a wide range of devices and applications from the simplest handheld device through very large resolution digital cinema systems. Included within this range are cellular phones, video conferencing systems, IP set-top boxes, advanced DVD players, personal video recorders, satellite and cable set-top boxes, portable and console based game systems, security and surveillance systems along with many others.

Via Licensing offers this patent licensing program as a convenience to manufacturers of end user products that implement the AVC Standard. This program seeks to make licenses to these patents that are essential to the implementation of this technology available to the broadest possible number of manufacturers in a manner that encourages the growth and development of this important technology and its markets.

The AVC Standard consists of the International Telecommunication Union internationally published standard ITU-T Rec. H.264 and the International Standard Organization, internationally published standard ISO/IEC 14496-10, and ISO/IEC 14496 -10/FDAM1 document titled "AVC Fidelity Range Extensions". Copies of these documents can be obtained from ITU and ISO.