SVTA FAQ

The Streaming Video Technology Alliance has three primary membership levels. The first level, Supporting, is designed for companies that want to listen and observe but can’t commit to contributing. This means they can attend meetings and working group sessions but can’t contribute to documents (such as reviewing or writing sections), can’t lead projects, can’t chair working groups, etc. The second level, Principal, is designed for companies seeking to actively participate in one or more working groups. They can lead projects, act as working group chairs, vote on publications, be voted to the board (two board seats are reserved for principal members), and contribute to documents. The third level, Small Business Principal, offers the same benefits as the Principal membership, but at a smaller annual fee for any companies that are interested in participating, but make less than $10MM in annual revenue. Proof of revenue (statement from accountant, balance sheet, etc.) is required to qualify.

No. The Alliance will submit any draft specifications created to the appropriate standards body (e.g. IETF, CTA, etc.) for ratification. We have formed a number of liaisons with other industry bodies and we will continue to do so as we create a network.

The Alliance was formed in response to the online video transformation, which demands that streaming video scale quickly, efficiently, and cost-effectively to meet worldwide consumer demand. The Alliance creates a needed new model of engagement in which the industry collaborates rapidly around the architecture, technology, and best practices required to scale online video which provides a viewer experience similar to, or exceeded, traditional broadcast.

The Alliance is a non-profit, non-equity, 501 (c)(6) organization incorporated in the state of Delaware. The Alliance is governed by the Board of Directors and managed by an experienced team.

The Streaming Video Technology Alliance members span the ecosystem of the streaming video industry. They include network operators (like ISPs), service providers (like CDNs), content owners, and technology companies. A current list of our members (organized by membership level) can be found here.

The current SVTA Board of Directors can be found here.

The Streaming Video Technology Alliance is an industry forum open to all companies from all sectors of the online video value chain (content owners, service providers, network operators, infrastructure providers, and streaming video technology companies). The Alliance focuses on the ecosystem, architecture, technologies, and best practices needed to support the future of video in which streaming may deliver the lion’s share of worldwide content.

The Streaming Video Technology Alliance has three primary objectives. First is education. Through whitepapers, ebooks, blogs, and other channels, the Alliance educates the industry on the critical technical challenges that need to be solved to deliver a broadcast-like, or better, experience through streaming. Second is collaboration. The Alliance provides a forum, both virtually and in-person, for industry players to come together and collaborate on solutions to the technical challenges of delivering streaming video consistently and reliably at scale. Third is definition. Through our collaborative forum, member companies create documentation such as best practices, guidelines, specifications, and functional requirements that offer a solution to the technical challenges facing the industry. These publications are made available freely to the public.

The Alliance is governed by a number of documents including By-Laws, IP Policy (and Guidance document), and individual membership agreements. You can find all of our governing documents here.

The Alliance is a non-profit, non-equity, 501 (c)(6) organization incorporated in the state of Delaware. The Alliance is governed by the Board of Directors and managed by an experienced team.

The current SVTA Board of Directors can be found here.

No. The Alliance will submit any draft specifications created to the appropriate standards body (e.g. IETF, CTA, etc.) for ratification. We have formed a number of liaisons with other industry bodies and we will continue to do so as we create a network.

No. Our By-Laws allow for member companies to bring as many people as they wish to participate in working group calls or face-to-face meetings. But, unless permission is given by the Alliance for special circumstances, every attending person must be an employee of a member company or one of it’s majority-owned subsidiaries.

Yes. There is a nominal cost to cover food and beverage as well as other operational expenses. The early bird registration fee is $400. If you register after the early bird period ends, the fee is $500. Late and onsite registration is $800. Note that the Alliance may raise the cost of meeting attendance at any time.

Yes and no. In order to attend all of our face-to-face meetings, you must be a member in good standing. But, it is possible to “audit” a single face-to-face meeting while considering membership. We extend this offer only once to potential member companies. If you wish to audit an upcoming meeting, please contact us.

The Alliance is governed by a number of documents including By-Laws, IP Policy (and Guidance document), and individual membership agreements. You can find all of our governing documents here.

The Streaming Video Technology Alliance has three primary membership levels. The first level, Supporting, is designed for companies that want to listen and observe but can’t commit to contributing. This means they can attend meetings and working group sessions but can’t contribute to documents (such as reviewing or writing sections), can’t lead projects, can’t chair working groups, etc. The second level, Principal, is designed for companies seeking to actively participate in one or more working groups. They can lead projects, act as working group chairs, vote on publications, be voted to the board (two board seats are reserved for principal members), and contribute to documents. The third level, Small Business Principal, offers the same benefits as the Principal membership, but at a smaller annual fee for any companies that are interested in participating, but make less than $10MM in annual revenue. Proof of revenue (statement from accountant, balance sheet, etc.) is required to qualify.

The Alliance holds membership meetings three times per year. Two of these meetings take place in North America (one on the West Coast and one on the East Coast). They are often hosted at a member company and are two-day events. They include working group sessions, presentations on the meeting theme, a keynote on the first day, breaks, lunches, a fun networking event on the evening of the first day, and a casual networking event to end the second day.

Our working groups meet more frequently to pursue their individual objectives. These are always via phone conference calls. The schedule of each working group’s calls can be found in their calendar on our intranet.

There are two ways to become a board member. The first is by joining the organization as a Sponsor member. These members pay an annual fee for a permanent seat on the board. Each Sponsor member must be approved by a unanimous board vote. The second way is to be voted to the board as a Principal member. The Board of Directors has two seats (filled on an annual basis; elections are held at the second annual meeting, usually in May or June) which are occupied by Principal members.

The Streaming Video Technology Alliance members span the ecosystem of the streaming video industry. They include network operators (like ISPs), service providers (like CDNs), content owners, and technology companies. A current list of our members (organized by membership level) can be found here.

No. Documents that have been ratified through the membership are posted on our website for public consumption.

You can see a complete list of our currently available publications here. These represent documents which have gone through the Alliance’s ratification process.

No. Our By-Laws allow for member companies to bring as many people as they wish to participate in working group calls or face-to-face meetings. But, unless permission is given by the Alliance for special circumstances, every attending person must be an employee of a member company or one of it’s majority-owned subsidiaries.

You can see a complete list of our currently available publications here. These represent documents which have gone through the Alliance’s ratification process.