OTT
Technology & Computing abbreviation · Telecom
| Stands for | Over-the-top |
|---|---|
| Categories | Technology & Computing |
OTT stands for Over-the-top, a telecom abbreviation also used in business and entertainment.
Services delivered over the internet directly to users, bypassing the traditional control of telecom carriers or cable operators, such as WhatsApp for messaging and calls or Netflix for TV. In India and elsewhere, "OTT platform" usually means a streaming service.
Example: Texting revenue fell as customers moved to OTT apps like WhatsApp and iMessage.
Usage notes
OTT services ride on networks they do not own, which has fueled disputes about who should pay for network investment; European operators have lobbied for "fair share" contributions from large content companies. Regulators in some countries have debated licensing OTT voice and video apps. Cord-cutting describes viewers replacing cable TV with OTT streaming.
Related abbreviations
More telecom abbreviations
- MWC – Mobile World Congress
- NB-IoT – Narrowband Internet of Things
- NFC – Near-field communication
- NR – New Radio
- OFDM – Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing
- ONT – Optical network terminal
- PAYG – Pay as you go
- PBX – Private branch exchange
- PON – Passive optical network
- POTS – Plain old telephone service
- PSTN – Public switched telephone network
- PTT – Push-to-talk