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The concepts behind the story of OTT — business models, the streaming wars, India's boom, live sport and the future — each written as a concise, question-driven guide.

Last updated November 2026

Guide 01

What Is OTT? Streaming Explained

OTT stands for 'over-the-top': any video, audio or messaging service delivered over the open internet, on top of (bypassing) traditional cab…

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Guide 02

SVOD vs AVOD vs TVOD vs FAST

SVOD charges a monthly subscription (Netflix); AVOD is free to the viewer and funded by ads (YouTube); TVOD rents or sells individual titles…

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Guide 03

The Streaming Wars, 2019–2022

The streaming wars were the eighteen months between November 2019 and mid-2021 in which Disney+, Apple TV+, HBO Max, Peacock and Quibi all l…

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Guide 04

OTT in India

India became the world's second-largest OTT market through a single event: Reliance Jio's 2016 launch of essentially free 4G data, which put…

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Guide 05

Live Sports on OTT

Live sport moved to streaming in three waves: Amazon's exclusive NFL Thursday Night Football (from 2022), Apple's MLS Season Pass (2023), an…

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Guide 06

The Future of OTT

The OTT industry's future is consolidation: a handful of profitable global platforms (Netflix, Disney, Amazon, the merged WBD-Paramount, Jio…

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The OTT ChronicleOTT History & Timeline

An encyclopedia of the rise of the OTT streaming industry. Independent, reader-supported and fact-checked against company filings, trade press and public reporting.

Eras

  • Before Streaming
  • The Pioneers
  • The Originals Era
  • The Streaming Wars
  • India's OTT Boom
  • Consolidation & Ads

Platforms

  • Netflix
  • Amazon Prime Video
  • Disney+
  • YouTube
  • Hulu
  • HBO Max
  • Apple TV+
  • Peacock
  • All platforms →

Guides

  • What Is OTT? Streaming Explained
  • SVOD vs AVOD vs TVOD vs FAST
  • The Streaming Wars, 2019–2022
  • OTT in India
  • Live Sports on OTT
  • The Future of OTT
  • All guides →
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