Cable and satellite operators are no longer the only game in town. True, PayTV operators still enjoy a privileged position in most homes, a consumer lock fortified by a network of proprietary set-top boxes, longstanding service relationships and “bundled” cost hooks. But this dominance is already being contested by a new wave of video creators, aggregators and distributors using the Internet to bypass incumbent PayTV control points and deliver video programming “over the top” of incumbents’ set-top boxes and enable the delivery of web video directly to consumers.

This report examines the evolving world of over-the-top (OTT) video in both open and closed delivery networks. It covers trends in OTT, current plans of the PayTV providers, the rise of virtual operators, current consumer attitudes surrounding OTT and several of the platforms that will enable delivery.