Over-the-top media service

{{Short description|Service delivering video and audio over the Internet}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}} {{Other uses|Over the top (disambiguation){{!}}Over the top}}

An '''over-the-top media service''' (also known as '''OTT''' and '''over-the-top television''') is a digital distribution service of video and accompanying audio delivered directly to viewers via the public Internet, rather than through over-the-air, cable, and satellite television service, or IPTV{{efn|IPTV is the delivery of television content using signals based on the logical Internet protocol, rather than through traditional terrestrial and satellite signal, and cable television format.}} provider.<ref name="Endavo" /><ref name="McDermott" /><ref name="Meier-OTT TV">{{cite web|last1=Meier |first1=Kimberlee |title=OTT TV: What is it and why is it important? |url=https://vimeo.com/blog/post/ott-tv |website=Vimeo |date=February 15, 2022}}</ref> The term is synonymous with '''''streaming platform'''''.<ref name="Yellowbrick">{{cite web|title=Top OTT Streaming Platforms for Best Viewing Experience |url=https://www.yellowbrick.co/blog/entertainment/the-best-ott-streaming-platforms-for-an-unmatched-viewing-experience |website=Yellowbrick |publisher=Yellowbrick Learning |date=August 26, 2023}}</ref>

Video OTT services may be subscription-based (SVOD) or free (FAST),<ref name="McDermott">{{cite web |last1=McDermott |first1=John |title=CTV, OTT, SVOD, AVOD, BVOD, FAST…What the Tech are all these digital TV acronyms? |website=The Current |publisher=The Trade Desk |date=March 17, 2022 |url=https://www.thecurrent.com/ctv-ott-svod-avod-bvod-fast-what-the-tech-are-all-these-digital-tv-acronyms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507112548/https://www.thecurrent.com/ctv-ott-svod-avod-bvod-fast-what-the-tech-are-all-these-digital-tv-acronyms |archive-date=May 7, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Nielsen2024">{{cite web |title=Need to Know: What's the difference between OTT, CTV and streaming? |url=https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2024/whats-the-difference-ott-vs-ctv/ |website=Nielsen Corporation |date=February 2024 |access-date=19 March 2024 |archive-date=19 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319093521/https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2024/whats-the-difference-ott-vs-ctv/ |url-status=live}}</ref> and are typically accessed via television sets with integrated Smart TV platforms,<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Definition of smart TV |url=https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/smart-tv |magazine=PCMag |date=2020 |access-date=1 May 2024 |archive-date=1 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240501094721/https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/smart-tv |url-status=live }}</ref> streaming devices such as Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku, video game consoles, websites on personal computers, and apps on smartphones and tablets.<ref name="Nielsen2024" /><ref name="Endavo">{{cite web |title=What is OTT? |url=https://www.endavomedia.com/what-is-ott/ |website=Endavo Media |date=April 13, 2023 |access-date=12 April 2024 |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410135558/https://www.endavomedia.com/what-is-ott/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

OTT bypasses broadcast, cable, and satellite transmissions—the system through which companies have traditionally acted as controllers or distributors of television content. This content may include shows and movies for which the OTT acquired licensed rights from the content owner.<ref name="Faughnder">{{cite news|last1=Faughnder |first1=Ryan |title= 'Suits' showed the power of licensing. Is Hollywood's 'walled garden' strategy losing favor? |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/newsletter/2023-12-19/six-feet-under-on-netflix-how-the-streaming-business-learned-to-love-licensing-again-the-wide-shot |work=Los Angeles Times |date=December 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231222153614/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/newsletter/2023-12-19/six-feet-under-on-netflix-how-the-streaming-business-learned-to-love-licensing-again-the-wide-shot |archive-date=December 22, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="content-licensing">{{cite web|title=Deciphering Content Licensing in an Evolving Streaming Ecosystem |url=https://www.filmtake.com/distribution/deciphering-content-licensing-in-an-evolving-streaming-ecosystem-2/ |website=FilmTake |date=December 27, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Gruenwedel-Ampere">{{cite magazine|last1=Gruenwedel |first1=Erik |title=Ampere: Studios Upping Third-Party Streaming Content Licensing |url=https://www.mediaplaynews.com/ampere-studios-up-third-party-streaming-content-licensing/ |magazine=Media Play News |date=February 19, 2024}}</ref> Programming may also include original content produced by the service or specifically for it.<ref name="Irwin-Hunt">{{cite magazine |last1=Irwin-Hunt |first1=Alex |title=Streaming wars: Disney+, Netflix and Amazon to drive original content spend |url=https://www.fdiintelligence.com/content/data-trends/streaming-wars-disney-netflix-and-amazon-to-drive-original-content-spend-82017 |magazine=fDi Intelligence |date=February 8, 2023 |access-date=23 August 2024 |archive-date=15 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415175240/https://www.fdiintelligence.com/content/data-trends/streaming-wars-disney-netflix-and-amazon-to-drive-original-content-spend-82017 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Arnold |first1=Thomas K. |title=Netflix Still on Top in Terms of Original Content, with 37% of All Movies and Shows |url=https://www.mediaplaynews.com/netflix-still-on-top-in-terms-of-original-content-with-37-percent-of-all-movies-and-shows/ |magazine=Media Play News |date=November 18, 2022 |access-date=23 August 2024 |archive-date=23 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240823113413/https://www.mediaplaynews.com/netflix-still-on-top-in-terms-of-original-content-with-37-percent-of-all-movies-and-shows/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Tariq" />

OTT service includes streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video<ref name="Nielsen2024" /><ref name="TravSonic">{{cite web|title=What is OTT? The meaning of video streaming platforms |url=https://www.travsonic.com/what-is-ott-for-streaming/ |website=TravSonic |date=February 29, 2024 |access-date=12 April 2024}}</ref><ref name="Dacast">{{cite web|last1=Wilbert |first1=Max |title=The 10 Best OTT Streaming Services |url=https://www.dacast.com/blog/5-business-ott-platforms-for-over-the-top-video-content/ |website=Dacast |date=June 20, 2024 |access-date=10 July 2024}}</ref> which provide access to subscription-based film and television content (SVOD),<ref name="S&P">{{cite web |last1=Nissen |first1=Keith |date=31 August 2023 |title=Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ dominate global SVOD viewing hours |url=https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/research/netflix-amazon-prime-video-and-disney-dominate-global-svod-viewing-hours |website=S&P Global |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240504121829/https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/research/netflix-amazon-prime-video-and-disney-dominate-global-svod-viewing-hours |archive-date=May 4, 2024}}</ref> or free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) such as Pluto TV and Tubi.<ref name="Wile">{{cite news|last1=Wile |first1=Rob |title=The fastest-growing streaming networks have on-demand content for free — and you may not have heard of them |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/free-ad-supported-tv-pluto-tubi-freevee-xumo-rcna160729 |work=NBC News |date=July 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250401081929/https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/free-ad-supported-tv-pluto-tubi-freevee-xumo-rcna160729 |archive-date=April 1, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref> OTT services also include a range of "skinny" television<ref>{{cite book|last1=Moro-Visconti |first1=Roberto |title=Startup Valuation: From Strategic Business Planning to Digital Networking |date=2021 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |location=London, England |isbn=978-3030716073 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NiMqEAAAQBAJ&dq=OTT+also+encompasses+a+wave+of+%22skinny%22+television+services&pg=PA310}}</ref> offerings by streaming platforms, such as Sling TV and Hulu with Live TV, that provide live streams of specialty channels.<ref name="Hulu-skinny">{{cite magazine|last1=Rosenblatt |first1=Bill |title=Internet TV Skinny Bundle Market Gets More Crowded With Hulu's New Service |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/billrosenblatt/2017/05/04/internet-tv-skinny-bundle-market-gets-more-crowded-with-hulus-new-service/?sh=7df2cada3817 |magazine=Forbes |date=May 4, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250329184058/https://www.forbes.com/sites/billrosenblatt/2017/05/04/internet-tv-skinny-bundle-market-gets-more-crowded-with-hulus-new-service/?sh=7df2cada3817 |archive-date=March 29, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Dreier-SlingTV">{{cite web|last1=Dreier |first1=Troy |title=Sling TV Is the Most Popular Skinny Bundle, in Over 2M US Homes |url=https://www.streamingmedia.com/Articles/News/Online-Video-News/Sling-TV-Is-the-Most-Popular-Skinny-Bundle-in-Over-2M-US-Homes-118970.aspx |website=Streaming Media |date=June 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180629213151/https://www.streamingmedia.com/Articles/News/Online-Video-News/Sling-TV-Is-the-Most-Popular-Skinny-Bundle-in-Over-2M-US-Homes-118970.aspx |archive-date=June 29, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Wolfe-Amazon">{{cite web|last1=Wolfe |first1=Bryan M. |title=After Pushback, Amazon Cancels Plans for Skinny Television Bundle |url=https://appadvice.com/post/amazon-skinny-television-bundle/757211 |website=AppAdvice |date=November 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920115056/https://appadvice.com/post/amazon-skinny-television-bundle/757211 |archive-date=September 20, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2023, using OTT platforms constituted 38% of global television consumption.<ref name="Rotblut" /> OTT TV, commonly called streaming television,<ref name="Century">{{cite web|title=What is streaming TV? |url=https://www.centurylink.com/home/help/television/streaming-tv/what-is-streaming-tv.html |website=CenturyLink |date=2024}}</ref><ref name="Frost">{{cite web|last1=Frost |first1=Bill |title=What Is Streaming TV? |url=https://www.cabletv.com/blog/what-is-streaming-tv |website=CableTV.com |date=February 9, 2024}}</ref> is the most popular method for watching television in the United States as of 2025.<ref name="Nielsen-TV milestone" /><ref name="Koblin-streamingTV">{{cite news|last1=Koblin |first1=John |title=It's Official: Streaming Is Now the King of TV |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/17/business/media/streaming-beats-cable-broadcast.html |work=The New York Times |date=June 17, 2025 |access-date=28 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250618102340/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/17/business/media/streaming-beats-cable-broadcast.html |archive-date=18 June 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Streaming platforms are also the primary method for the delivery of radio,<ref name="Neslon-radio">{{cite web|last1=Neslon |first1=Camila Leme |title=A Complete Breakdown of Radio Streaming |url=https://www.radio.co/blog/radio-streaming |website=Radio.co |date=March 25, 2025 |access-date=18 January 2026}}</ref> music,<ref name="Stassen-music">{{cite web|last1=Stassen |first1=Murray |title=Music streaming platforms now host quarter of a BILLION tracks. Where does it end? |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/quarter-of-a-billion-tracks-now-sit-on-music-streaming-services-where-does-it-end/ |website=Music Business Worldwide |date=January 14, 2026 |access-date=17 January 2026}}</ref> podcasts,<ref name="Hill-podcast">{{cite magazine|last1=Hill |first1=Simon |title=The Best Podcasts for Everyone |url=https://www.wired.com/story/best-podcasts/ |magazine=Wired |date=February 14, 2025 |access-date=17 January 2026}}</ref> and audiobooks<ref name="Long-audiobook">{{cite web|last1=Long |first1=Emily |title=The Nine Best Audiobook Services in 2025 |url=https://lifehacker.com/the-best-audiobook-services |website=Lifehacker |date=February 6, 2025 |access-date=17 April 2026}}</ref> over the Internet, known as '''''audio streaming'''''.<ref name="audio-PCMag">{{cite web|title=Audio streaming |url=https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/audio-streaming |website=PCMag |date=2022 |access-date=17 April 2026}}</ref><ref name="audio-Gank">{{cite web |title=What is Audio Streaming & How Does it Operate? |url=https://ganknow.com/blog/audio-streaming/?srsltid=AfmBOooFI0S-3pu-G3wxmuP-pq3IPZ-ZLMXFfLgBkgP5CLKre9f-Q5Ss |website=Gank |access-date=17 April 2026 |date=June 23, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Meunier-Plante">{{cite magazine|last1=Meunier-Plante |first1=Olivier |title=Understanding Music Streaming: A Guide for Beginners |url=https://pmamagazine.org/understanding-music-streaming-a-guide-for-beginners/ |magazine=PMA Magazine |date=December 11, 2023 |access-date=17 April 2026}}</ref> Audio streaming is provided through streaming services such as BBC Sounds, Spotify, and Pandora.<ref name="Torres-BBC">{{cite web|last1=Torres |first1=Lena |title=Bbc Sounds: The Evolution, Changes, And Current State Explained |url=https://soundcy.com/article/what-happened-to-bbc-sounds |website=SoundCy |date=November 23, 2025}}</ref><ref name="Westberg-Spotify">{{cite web|last1=Westberg |first1=Peter |title=Spotify's Rise to Global Dominance in Music Streaming |url=https://quartr.com/insights/company-research/spotifys-rise-to-global-dominance-in-music-streaming |website=Quartr |date=11 September 2025}}</ref><ref name="Bizzaco-Pandora">{{cite web|last1=Bizzaco |first1=Michael |title=What is Pandora? Music, features, and pricing explained |url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/what-is-pandora/ |website=Digital Trends |date=October 8, 2024}}</ref>

==History== The origin of OTT dates to March 1998, when Hong Kong Telecom launched interactive multimedia service iTV, the world's first video-on-demand streaming platform.<ref name="Ad Age-iTV">{{cite web|title=Hongkong Telecom's iTV goes live |url=https://adage.com/article/news/hongkong-telecom-s-itv-live/12952/ |url-access=subscription |website=Ad Age |access-date=17 April 2026 |date=March 25, 1998}}</ref><ref name="Meredith-iTV">{{cite news|last1=Meredith |first1=Helen |title=Hong Kong tunes in to ITV |url=https://www.afr.com/companies/media-and-marketing/hong-kong-tunes-in-to-itv-19980330-k7yw1 |url-access=subscription |work=Australian Financial Review |date=March 30, 1998 |access-date=17 April 2026}}</ref><ref name="Smith-iTV">{{cite magazine|last1=Smith |first1=Ernie |title=Before There Was Netflix, Hong Kong Had the First On-Demand Streaming Service |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/before-there-was-netflix-hong-kong-had-the-first-on-demand-streaming-service/ |website=Vice |date=January 9, 2017 |access-date=17 April 2026}}</ref><ref name="Simplestream">{{cite web|title=What is OTT? |url=https://www.simplestream.com/glossary/ott |website=Simplestream |date=2024 |access-date=17 April 2026}}</ref> The service also featured music-on-demand and racing-on-demand.<ref name="Ad Age-iTV" /><ref name="Meredith-iTV" /> iTV lasted four years before ceasing operations in 2002.<ref name="Shackleton-iTV">{{cite web|last1=Shackleton |first1=Liz |title=Hong Kong pay-TV service iTV to close |url=https://www.screendaily.com/hong-kong-pay-tv-service-itv-to-close/409973.article |website=Screen Daily |date=22 July 2002 |access-date=17 April 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821080540/https://www.screendaily.com/hong-kong-pay-tv-service-itv-to-close/409973.article |archive-date=August 21, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Definitions== In 2011, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), Canada's telecommunications regulator, stated that it "considers that Internet access to programming independent of a facility or network dedicated to its delivery (via, for example, cable or satellite) is the defining feature of what have been termed 'over-the-top' services".<ref name="CRTC">{{cite web|title=Results of the fact-finding exercise on the over-the-top programming services |url=http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/publications/reports/rp1110.htm |website=Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission |date=October 2011 |access-date=30 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170426150744/http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/publications/reports/rp1110.htm |archive-date=April 26, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) categorizes OTT services into two groups: online video distributors (OVDs) and multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs).<ref name="FCC17th2016">{{cite report | author = FCC | date = 6 May 2016 | title = Annual Assessment of the Status of Competition in the Market for the Delivery of Video Programming [Seventeenth Report; MB Docket No. 15-158; DA 16-510] | location = Washington, DC | publisher = Federal Communications Commission (FCC) | pages = 4417–4587 | url = https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-16-510A1_Rcd.pdf | access-date = 26 December 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161026075525/https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-16-510A1_Rcd.pdf | archive-date = 2016-10-26 | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/fcc-officially-launches-ovd-definition-nprm/136544|title=FCC Officially Launches OVD Definition NPRM|work=Broadcasting & Cable|date=19 December 2014 |language=en|access-date=2018-03-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819093215/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/fcc-officially-launches-ovd-definition-nprm/136544|archive-date=2017-08-19|url-status=live}}</ref> Virtual MVPDs include such services such as DirecTV Stream, FuboTV, Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV. The FCC defined an OVD as: {{quote|any entity that provides video programming by means of the Internet or other Internet Protocol (IP)-based transmission path where the transmission path is provided by a person other than the OVD. An OVD does not include an MVPD inside its MVPD footprint or an MVPD to the extent it is offering online video programming as a component of an MVPD subscription to customers whose homes are inside its MVPD footprint.<ref name="FCC17th2016" />}}

In contrast to video on demand systems offered by cable and Internet Protocol television (IPTV),<ref name="Hanna-IPTV">{{cite web|last1=Hanna |first1=Katie Terrell |last2=Scarpati |first2=Jessica |title=IPTV (Internet Protocol television) |url=https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/IPTV-Internet-Protocol-television |website=TechTarget |date=August 12, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916063444/https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/IPTV-Internet-Protocol-television |archive-date=September 16, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> which operate over managed networks where channels can be changed instantly and thus content available instantaneously, services such as iTunes required that a video download be completed before it was played;<ref name=tnroVSE>{{cite book|last1=Gibbon |first1=David C. |last2=Liu |first2=Zhu |title=Introduction to Video Search Engines |date=2008 |page=251 |chapter=Current Trends in Video Search |publisher=Springer Berlin Heidelberg |location=Berlin/Heidelberg, Germany |isbn=978-3540793366 |url=https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-540-79337-3}}</ref> compared to IPTV which started playing a video before it finished downloading.<ref>{{cite web|first=Jose Miguel |last=Cansado |title=Will Internet TV Kill IPTV? |url=http://disruptionmatters.com/2008/10/13/will-internet-tv-kill-iptv/ |website=Disruption Matters |date=13 October 2008 |access-date=30 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606123042/http://disruptionmatters.com/2008/10/13/will-internet-tv-kill-iptv/ |archive-date=June 6, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Background== In broadcasting, over-the-top content is video, audio, and other media content delivered over the Internet without the involvement of a multiple-system operator (MSO) in the control or distribution of the content. The Internet service provider (ISP) may be aware of the contents of the IP packets and may be able to block or restrict their transit to end users (unless that internet provider operates within a jurisdiction that requires "net neutrality"). However, the ISP is not responsible for the viewing abilities, copyrights, and/or other redistribution of the content from the OTT provider. This model contrasts with the purchasing or rental of video or audio content from an ISP, such as pay television, video on demand and IPTV.

OTT television signals are received over the Internet or through a cell phone network, as opposed to receiving television signals from terrestrial broadcasters, cable networks, or via satellite transmission. The video distributor controls access through an app, a separate OTT dongle, or a box connected to a phone, personal computer, or smart television set.<ref name="Orlowski">{{cite web|last1=Orlowski |first1=Andrew |title=Can the last person watching desktop video please turn out the light? |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/08/08/desktop_vs_ott_video/ |website=The Register |date=8 August 2017|access-date=8 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808154651/https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/08/08/desktop_vs_ott_video/ |archive-date=8 August 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

OTT TV is delivered via the public Internet instead of cable and satellite television, or IPTV, services using exclusive equipment such as set-top boxes.<ref name="Cooper">{{cite web|last1=Cooper |first1=Tyler |title=Cable, Satellite, IPTV & OTT Streaming: What's the Difference? |url=https://broadbandnow.com/report/cable-vs-satellite-vs-iptv-vs-ott-streaming |website=BroadbandNow |date=August 23, 2016}}</ref> An ISP simply transports the Internet Protocol (IP) packets that deliver OTT content to the end-user.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/jeff-bewkes-goes-over-the-top/|title=Time Warner Goes Over the Top|last=Hansell|first=Saul|work=The New York Times|date=3 March 2009|access-date=21 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710232313/http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/jeff-bewkes-goes-over-the-top/|archive-date=2011-07-10|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ecnmag.com/News/2009/11/Over-the-Top-Video-and-Content-Delivery-Networks-Will-Transform-Video-On-Demand-Provisioning/|title=Over-the-Top Video and Content Delivery Networks Will Transform Video-On-Demand Provisioning|work=Electronic Component News|date=19 November 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305082324/http://www.ecnmag.com/News/2009/11/Over-the-Top-Video-and-Content-Delivery-Networks-Will-Transform-Video-On-Demand-Provisioning/|archive-date=5 March 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/what-will-it-take-to-make-over-the-top-video-successful-2010-12|title=Why 2011 Is Being Called The Year Of "The Cable Cut"|work=Business Insider|date=30 December 2010|access-date=21 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403042433/http://www.businessinsider.com/what-will-it-take-to-make-over-the-top-video-successful-2010-12|archive-date=2016-04-03|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-playing-the-ott-game-and-how-to-win-it-2010-12|title=Who Is Playing The OTT Game And How To Win It|work=Business Insider|date=30 December 2010|access-date=21 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403052256/http://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-playing-the-ott-game-and-how-to-win-it-2010-12|archive-date=2016-04-03|url-status=live}}</ref>

Consumers can access OTT content through Internet-connected devices such as Smart TVs,<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Roettgers |first1=Janko |title=LG's New TVs Mix Streaming Channels from Buzzfeed, GQ & Vogue with Traditional Networks |url=https://variety.com/2016/digital/news/lgs-webos-internet-tv-channels-1201675137/ |magazine=Variety |date=January 8, 2016 |access-date=December 26, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170203122444/http://variety.com/2016/digital/news/lgs-webos-internet-tv-channels-1201675137/ |archive-date=February 3, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> streaming devices, video game consoles, set-top boxes, desktop and laptop computers, tablets, and smartphones.<ref name="Grgurović">{{cite web |last1=Grgurović |first1=Marta |title=What Is OTT: A Guide to Over-the-Top Streaming for Video Publishers |url=https://target-video.com/what-is-ott/ |website=TargetVideo |date=March 7, 2024 |access-date=12 August 2024 |archive-date=12 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240812045032/https://target-video.com/what-is-ott/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

By mid-2017, 58 percent of US households accessed one OTT service in a given month through a streaming device, game console, or Smart TV; with 84 per cent of advertising revenues originating from OTT channels, exceeding revenues from videos playing in web browsers on desktops and laptops.<ref name="Orlowski" /> The results of a 2018 in-house data analysis of their subscribers by Uscreen (a membership platform for video creators and entrepreneurs) reported that 45% used iOS and Android mobile devices to access their OTT content, while 39% used web browsers for streaming.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Johnson |first1=James |url=https://www.uscreen.tv/blog/ott-content-trends/ |title=OTT Content: What We Learned From 1.1 Million Subscribers |website=Uscreen |date=January 24, 2019 |access-date=November 1, 2019 |archive-date=2 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102100301/https://www.uscreen.tv/blog/ott-content-trends/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

Technologies like cloud computing, data analytics, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are coming together to create a transformational shift in the OTT media landscape.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Innovation challenges of digital transformation: Transitioning legacy to the future|journal=Sustainable Futures|date=2025-12-01|issn=2666-1888|article-number=100971|volume=10|doi=10.1016/j.sftr.2025.100971|first=Ololade A.|last=Shonubi|doi-access=free |bibcode=2025SusFu..1000971S }}</ref> These new developments in technology have the potential to influence the OTT industry's future as customer preferences continue to shift. IoT device integration is opening up new ways for OTT providers to offer immersive and personalized watching experiences, from smart TVs to connected home appliances.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Proceedings of the 2019 ACM SIGSAC Conference on Computer and Communications Security|publisher=Association for Computing Machinery|date=2019-11-06|location=New York, NY, USA|isbn=978-1-4503-6747-9|pages=131–147|series=CCS '19|doi=10.1145/3319535.3354198|first1=Hooman|last1=Mohajeri Moghaddam|first2=Gunes|last2=Acar|first3=Ben|last3=Burgess|first4=Arunesh|last4=Mathur|first5=Danny Yuxing|last5=Huang|first6=Nick|last6=Feamster|first7=Edward W.|last7=Felten|first8=Prateek|last8=Mittal|first9=Arvind|last9=Narayanan|chapter=Watching You Watch: The Tracking Ecosystem of Over-the-Top TV Streaming Devices |doi-access=free}}</ref> OTT platforms are able to curate content and provide personalized suggestions that are catered to individual tastes by utilizing IoT data to obtain deeper insights into user preferences. Cloud computing's scalability and flexibility are enabling OTT companies to adjust to the increasing market demand for streaming and on-demand content. Cloud-based infrastructure makes it possible to scale resources quickly in response to changing viewership patterns, handle data efficiently, and deliver content seamlessly.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Figueiredo| first1=Pep |url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DBC9GK2V?binding=kindle_edition&ref=dbs_dp_awt_sb_pc_tkin |title=Evolving Global OTT Landscape: A Ten Part Series |date=10 April 2023 |publisher=Amazon Digital Services LLC - Kdp |isbn=979-8-3909-0994-2}} {{Self-published source|reason=Copyright page states: Independently published. Google Books credits "Amazon Digital Services LLC - Kdp" as publisher — Amazon's self-publish platform.|date=November 2025}}</ref>

==Progress== In 2019, the record of simultaneous users watching an OTT event was set at 18.6 million in India by Disney Entertainment's video streaming platform Hotstar.<ref name="Hotstar2019">{{cite news|last1=Singh |first1=Manish |title=Hotstar, Disney's Indian streaming service, sets new global record for live viewership |url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/05/12/hotstar-disneys-indian-streaming-service-sets-new-global-record-for-live-viewership |website=TechCrunch |date=12 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228115355/https://techcrunch.com/2019/05/12/hotstar-disneys-indian-streaming-service-sets-new-global-record-for-live-viewership/ |archive-date=28 December 2019 }}</ref> This was surpassed in 2023 with 59 million concurrent viewers on Disney+ Hotstar.<ref name="Hotstar2023">{{Cite web |last1=Singh |first1=Manish |title=Disney's Hotstar draws 59 million concurrent viewers, setting new record |url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/19/india-and-australia-world-cup-final-shatters-streaming-records-on-hotstar/ |website=TechCrunch |date=November 19, 2023 |access-date=October 27, 2024 |archive-date=9 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240609120317/https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/19/india-and-australia-world-cup-final-shatters-streaming-records-on-hotstar/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2025, the record was broken again with 61.2 million viewers on JioHotstar.<ref>{{Cite news|title=JioHotstar sets 540+ crore viewership record in ICC Champions Trophy 2025 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/jiohotstar-sets-new-records-of-viewership-in-champions-trophy/article69329960.ece |work=The Hindu |date=March 14, 2025 |access-date=April 28, 2025 |language=en-IN}}</ref>{{efn|Disney+ Hotstar India and JioCinema merged to form JioHotstar on February 14, 2025. Hotstar was launched February 11, 2015 and rebranded as Disney+ Hotstar on April 3, 2020. JioCinema was launched on May 4, 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|title=JioHotstar: New streaming platform merging Jio Cinema and Disney+ Hotstar, a look at plans |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/jiohotstar-jio-cinema-disney-hotstar-streaming-platform-9834789/ |access-date=2025-05-15 |work=The Indian Express |date=February 16, 2025 |language=en}}</ref>}}

In 2023, the viewing of TV content on streaming platforms represented 38% of global television consumption with 1.8 billion subscriptions to OTT platforms.<ref name="Rotblut">{{cite magazine|last1=Rotblut |first1=Charles |title=How Streaming Services Netflix, Disney And Spotify Stack Up |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/investor/2023/11/09/how-streaming-services-netflix-disney-and-spotify-stack-up/ |magazine=Forbes |date=November 9, 2023 |access-date=29 January 2025}}</ref> In 2024, OTT TV became the most popular content in the US.{{efn|"What started as [a] niche corner in the media landscape in the early 2000s has grown to the dominant form of TV viewing in the U.S."<ref name="Nielsen2024" />}} By May 2025, the use of streaming platforms in the US had increased 71% since 2021, with streaming representing 44.8% of all television viewership, surpassing network and cable television combined.<ref name="Koblin-streamingTV" /><ref name="Nielsen-TV milestone">{{cite web|title=Streaming Reaches Historic TV Milestone, Eclipses Combined Broadcast and Cable Viewing For First Time |url=https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2025/streaming-reaches-historic-tv-milestone-eclipses-combined-broadcast-and-cable-viewing-for-first-time/ |website=Nielsen Corporation |date=June 17, 2025 |access-date=28 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250619084155/https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2025/streaming-reaches-historic-tv-milestone-eclipses-combined-broadcast-and-cable-viewing-for-first-time/ |archive-date=June 19, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Streaming platforms== {{See also|List of streaming media services}}   Examples of OTT platforms with over 1 million subscribers include:<ref>{{cite web|title=Top Streaming Services by Subscribers |url=https://flixpatrol.com/streaming-services/subscribers/ |website=FlixPatrol |date=February 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260218111858/https://flixpatrol.com/streaming-services/subscribers/ |archive-date=February 18, 2026}}</ref> {{div col|colwidth=20em}} * Acorn TV (UK-US) * Amazon Prime Video (US) * AMC+ (US) * Apple TV (US) * BBC iPlayer (UK) * Binge (Australia) * BritBox (UK) * Chorki (Bangladesh) * Coupang Play (South Korea) * Crave (Canada) * Crunchyroll (US) * Curiosity Stream (US) * Discovery+ (US) * Disney+ (US) * Dropout (US) * ESPN (US) * Fox One (US) * FuboTV (US) * Fuji TV On Demand (Japan) * Hami Video (Taiwan)<ref>{{cite web|title=Hami Video |url=https://hamivideo.hinet.net/index.do |date=2026 |language=zh-TW}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Chunghwa Telecom Q1 Earnings Call Highlights |url=https://www.marketbeat.com/instant-alerts/chunghwa-telecom-q1-earnings-call-highlights-2026-05-09/ |website=MarketBeat |date=May 9, 2026 |access-date=14 May 2026 |quote=Total video subscribers across MOD and Hami Video rose 6% quarter over quarter and exceeded 3 million. Hami Video ARPU posted double-digit year-over-year growth.}}</ref><ref>{{cite we|title=The Big List: Taiwan Focus |url=https://issuu.com/contentasia/docs/tbl-taiwan2025?fr=sMjRiNTgzOTQzMDQ |publisher=Content Asia |date=April 2025 |page=17 |quote=Hami Video}} (via Issuu)</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Thomson |first1=Jono |title=Survey finds Netflix Taiwan's most popular video streaming service |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6092603 |work=Taiwan News |date=April 23, 2025 |quote=8% used Hami Video.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Yang |first1=Carol |title=Taiwan's 3 telecom streaming platforms experience viewer growth during Lunar New Year |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6030112 |work=Taiwan News |date=February 5, 2025 |quote=Hami Video saw a 50% increase in viewers compared to the same period last year. The platform also reported a 2.3-fold growth in subscriber numbers year-on-year.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Shackleton |first1=Liz |title=Taiwan's Premium VOD Subscriptions Top 5.8M In Q3; Netflix & Disney Driving Growth, Report Says |url=https://deadline.com/2023/10/netflix-disney-taiwan-premium-vod-growth-1235589268/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=October 31, 2023 |quote=Local players include...Hami Video with 7% [market share].}}</ref> * Hayu (US) * HBO Max (US) * Hulu (US) * Iflix (Malaysia) * iQIYI (China) * iWant (Philippines) * JioHotstar (India) * Kocowa (US) * MGM+ (US) * Mubi (UK) * Netflix (US) * NFL+ (US) * Paramount+ (US) * Peacock (US) * Philo (US) * Plex (US) * Pluto TV (US) * The Roku Channel (US) * Showmax (South Africa) * Shudder (US) * Sling TV (US) * SonyLIV (India) * Stan. (Australia) * Starz (US) * Tubi (US) * TVING (South Korea) * TVNZ+ (New Zealand) * U-Next (Japan) * Vidio (Indonesia) * Viki (US) * Viu (China) * YouTube TV (US) * ZEE5 (India) {{div col end}}

==Mobile communication== The term "OTT" has also been used to describe no-carrier cellphones, for which all communications are charged as data,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Weaver |first1=Todd |title=What a No-Carrier Phone Could Look Like |url=https://wp.puri.sm/posts/what-a-no-carrier-phone-could-look-like/ |website=Purism |date=1 August 2019 |access-date=10 April 2020 |archive-date=30 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130014615/https://wp.puri.sm/posts/what-a-no-carrier-phone-could-look-like/ |url-status=live }}</ref> avoiding monopolistic competition, or apps for phones that transmit data in this manner, including both those that replace other call methods<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fitchard |first1=Kevin |title=Can you hear me now? Verizon, AT&T to make voice-over-LTE interoperable in 2015 |url=https://gigaom.com/2014/11/03/can-you-hear-me-now-verizon-att-to-make-voice-over-lte-interoperable-in-2015/ |website=gigaom.com |date=3 November 2014 |access-date=10 April 2020 |archive-date=11 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111203158/https://gigaom.com/2014/11/03/can-you-hear-me-now-verizon-att-to-make-voice-over-lte-interoperable-in-2015/ }}</ref><ref name=horoscope/> and those that update software.<ref name=horoscope>{{cite web |title=Why Startups Are Beating Carriers (Or The Curious Case Of The Premium SMS Horoscope Service & The Lack Of Customer Consent) |url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/03/25/startups-beating-carriers/ |website=TechCrunch |date=25 March 2013 |access-date=10 April 2020 |archive-date=23 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923070020/https://techcrunch.com/2013/03/25/startups-beating-carriers/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=A Closer Look At Blackphone, The Android Smartphone That Simplifies Privacy |url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/02/26/close-look-at-blackphone/ |website=TechCrunch |date=February 26, 2014 |access-date=10 April 2020 |archive-date=19 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919200600/https://techcrunch.com/2014/02/26/close-look-at-blackphone/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Tariq">{{Cite magazine|last1=Tariq |first1=Haseeb |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2021/02/08/what-is-ott-advertising-and-why-is-it-a-trend/ |title=Council Post: What Is OTT Advertising, And Why Is It A Trend? |magazine=Forbes |date=February 8, 2021 |access-date=3 August 2021 |archive-date=21 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421040948/https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2021/02/08/what-is-ott-advertising-and-why-is-it-a-trend/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Willemyns |first1=Ines |date=2021 |title=Digital Services in International Trade Law |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DPw7EAAAQBAJ&dq=What+is+ott+service&pg=PA23 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge, England |isbn=978-1-108-83753-8}}</ref>

''OTT messaging'' is defined as instant messaging services or online chat provided by third parties, as an alternative to text messaging services provided by a mobile network operator.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-mobile-messaging-2013-5|title=Chart of the Day: Mobile Messaging|work=Business Insider|date=17 May 2013|access-date=10 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222070154/http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-mobile-messaging-2013-5|archive-date=2014-02-22|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/over-the-top-messaging-overtakes-sms|title=Over-The-Top Messaging Apps Overtake SMS Messaging|last=Maytom|first=Tim|work=Mobile Marketing Magazine|date=4 August 2014|access-date=28 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907085209/http://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/over-the-top-messaging-overtakes-sms|archive-date=2015-09-07|url-status=live}}</ref> An example is the Meta Platforms-owned mobile application WhatsApp, that serves to replace text messaging on Internet connected smartphones.<ref name="wsj20140220">{{cite news|title=Facebook's $18 Billion Deal Sets High Bar|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=20 February 2014|last1=Albergotti|first1=Reed|last2=MacMillan|first2=Douglas|last3=Rusli|first3=Evelyn}}</ref><ref name="Parmy Olsen">{{cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2015/09/04/whatsapp-900-million-users/|title=WhatsApp hits 900 million users|last=Rao|first=Leena|work=Fortune|date=4 September 2015|access-date=27 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128054624/http://fortune.com/2015/09/04/whatsapp-900-million-users/|archive-date=2016-01-28|url-status=live}}</ref> Other providers of OTT messaging include Viber, WeChat, iMessage, Skype, Telegram and the now defunct Google Allo.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tomsguide.com/us/pictures-story/654-best-messaging-apps.html|title=Apps Roundup: Best Messaging Apps|work=Tom's Guide|date=4 Oct 2016|access-date=2017-02-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214102110/http://www.tomsguide.com/us/pictures-story/654-best-messaging-apps.html|archive-date=2017-02-14|url-status=live}}</ref>

''OTT voice calling'', usually called VoIP, capabilities, for instance, a softphone or as provided by FaceTime, Skype, Viber, WhatsApp, WeChat, and Zoom use open internet communication protocols to replace and sometimes enhance existing operator controlled services offered by mobile phone operators.<ref name="Parmy Olsen" />

==Notes== {{Notelist}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== * {{cite book|last1=Basin |first1=Ken |title=The Business of Television: Updated and Expanded Second Edition |date=2024 |edition=2nd |chapter=2. Streaming: The End, Present, and Future of Television |publisher=Routledge |location=New York |isbn=978-1-032-01299-5}} * {{cite web|last1=Harris |first1=Deja |last2=Holden |first2=Lisa |title=The Complete List of Streaming Services in 2025 – 200+ Services |url=https://agoodmovietowatch.com/how-to/complete-list-streaming-services/ |website=A Good Movie To Watch |date=January 31, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250207143419/https://agoodmovietowatch.com/how-to/complete-list-streaming-services/ |archive-date=7 February 2025 |url-status=live}} * {{cite web|last1=Wells |first1=Emma K. |title=User Interface Holds the Key to OTT Success |url=http://www.payott.tv/2011/03/11/user-interface-holds-the-key-to-ott-success/ |website=Pay OTT TV |publisher=Tvinci |date=March 11, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110618155638/http://www.payott.tv/2011/03/11/user-interface-holds-the-key-to-ott-success/ |archive-date=June 18, 2011 }} * {{cite magazine|last1=Willcox |first1=James K. |title=Guide to Streaming Video Services |url=https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics-computers/streaming-media/guide-to-streaming-video-services-a4517732799/ |magazine=Consumer Reports |date=October 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611095036/https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics-computers/streaming-media/guide-to-streaming-video-services-a4517732799/ |archive-date=June 11, 2024 |url-status=live}} * {{cite news|last1=Yi |first1=Whan-woo |title=Platform subscription fee hikes weigh on consumers |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/biz/2024/06/602_373799.html |work=The Korea Times |date=May 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240602015335/https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/biz/2024/06/602_373799.html |archive-date=June 2, 2024 |url-status=live}}  * {{cite web|title=FCC Adopts 15th Report on the Status of Competition in the Market for the Delivery of Video Programming |url=https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-322282A1.pdf |website=Federal Communications Commission |date=July 19, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180907174405/https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-322282A1.pdf |archive-date=September 7, 2018 |url-status=live}} (Announcement of adoption.) * {{cite web|title=OTT 101: The History and Future of OTT Streaming |url=https://www.conviva.com/blog/the-history-and-future-of-ott-streaming/ |website=Conviva |date=April 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240301212958/https://www.conviva.com/blog/the-history-and-future-of-ott-streaming/ |archive-date=March 1, 2024 |url-status=live}} * {{cite web|title=Over the top (OTT) Market Size Worth USD 128 Billion at CAGR of 14%, By 2026: Reports and Data |url=https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/550295867/over-the-top-ott-market-size-worth-usd-128-billion-at-cagr-of-14-by-2026-reports-and-data |website=EIN Presswire |date=September 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240714012206/https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/550295867/over-the-top-ott-market-size-worth-usd-128-billion-at-cagr-of-14-by-2026-reports-and-data |archive-date=July 14, 2024 |url-status=live}}

==External links== * [https://www.nielsen.com/data-center/the-gauge/ The Gauge] by Nielsen * [https://ottbusiness.com/ott-directory/ott-platform-provider-companies/ OTT Platform Providers] at OTTBusiness.com

Category:Streaming television Category:Digital television Category:Internet broadcasting Category:Net neutrality Category:Set-top box