There's no question that OTT apps are taking the mobile space by storm as users seek to find cheaper ways to communicate with friends and family.
As Erica Berry so aptly put it in her recent article, OTT Apps: The Guide to Everything OTT, "OTT refers to "over-the-top" applications and services that are used over the internet or mobile data plan, rather than over the network of a service provider, in order to bypass traditional distribution and carrier fees."
In this infographic, we explore the reasons that OTT is overtaking the PSTN as the preferred method of calling, messaging, and media sharing, especially for mobile users. But perhaps all is not lost for carriers, as they find ways to roll out solutions of their own.
Take a look at some additional detail on where the PSTN is falling down and how OTT is swooping in with bigger, better features.
Drawbacks of PSTN
- Limited features. With the phone company, you get only the business basics, without the advanced voice features, such as HD Audio, Find Me Anywhere, or Call Dead-ending.
- Limited media. Video calling has largely migrated to IP for higher image resolutions and sound quality.
- Operator trunks. The phone company is circuit-switched, necessitating hard-wired infrastructure.
- Expensive. PSTN is still relatively expensive in terms of dollars per trunk over its IP counterpart.
Benefits of OTT
- Universal. OTT has unmatched reachability with global numbering and interconnection, regardless of geography and media type (audio, video, text).
- Responsive and Robust. OTT provides access for time-critical communication between citizens and institutions, in both directions, with the infrastructure and redundancy to survive power outages.
- Affordable. Service competition ensures that OTT has affordable, available infrastructure, independent of income, with tons of fresh, free content.