Membership of the DVB Project is open to all organisations involved in digital broadcasting and offers involvement in the development of the DVB specifications. You should note, however, that it is not necessary to be a member of the DVB Project to implement DVB standards. Companies that join the DVB Project do so for a number of reasons:

• to contribute to the development of future specifications;
• to gain an early view of specifications in development;
• to take advantage of the opportunities to network with other member companies at meetings and events;
• and to be part of one of the most successful organisations of its kind.

From a practical and operational point of view, employees of member companies gain the following benefits:

• Access to DVB documentation, including meeting reports, draft specifications, etc., via our online document servers
• The right to submit documents for consideration by modules and sub-groups
• The right to join, follow and contribute to the DVB email reflectors
• The right to attend module and sub-group meetings and conference calls
• Take part in the DVB specification approval process, with the right to stand for election to the DVB Steering Board

In addition to the above benefits, DVB members will also be invited from time to time to contribute to the promotion of key DVB standards, whether through trade show booths, conferences or seminars. These opportunities can increase market awareness of your company and bring you to the forefront of your respective area of expertise.

Joining the DVB Project involves signing the Memorandum of Understanding and payment of an initial membership fee of €10’000. All new members must also be approved by the DVB Steering Board. Thereafter there is an annual membership fee of €8’000. However, you should keep in mind that these are not the only costs associated with being a member. DVB members are expected to contribute actively to the work of the modules and their sub-groups, so it will be necessary to resource your membership of the DVB Project by assigning employees to follow and contribute to the work of the groups that are relevant to your business.

Member companies should fall into one of the following four constituencies:

• Content providers, broadcasters
• Infrastructure providers, network operators
• Manufacturers, software suppliers
• Governments, national regulatory bodies

For more information about joining the DVB Project, contact Ms. Eva Markvoort. (markvoort@dvb.org)