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Over-the-top (OTT)
October 20, 2026 OTT (over-the-top) is the delivery of films, TV shows, video and music to viewers directly over the internet, without going through cable, satellite or terrestrial broadcast infrastructure. Vietnamese law refers to this group as radio and television services on the internet.
What is OTT?
“Over-the-top” means the content rides “on top of” an existing internet connection, so the content provider does not need to own the infrastructure. Netflix, YouTube and Vietnam’s own movie and online TV apps are all OTT services. In telecoms, OTT also covers internet-based messaging and calling apps. In advertising, OTT almost always means video.
People watch OTT on many devices: phones, computers and internet-connected TVs (CTV, connected TV). OTT and CTV often get mixed up, but they are different things:
| OTT | CTV | IPTV | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refers to | How content is delivered over the internet | A device: a TV with an internet connection | TV delivered over a carrier’s private network |
| Watched on | Any device | A TV screen | A TV through the carrier’s set-top box |
| In Vietnam | A service on the internet | A device, not a service category | Classified as a cable TV service |
Why does OTT matter for advertising?
The clearest public data comes from the US. According to Nielsen’s The Gauge, May 2025 was the first month in which streaming took 44.8% of TV viewing time, more than broadcast (20.1%) and cable (24.1%) combined. FAST services alone, meaning free ad-supported streaming channels such as Pluto TV, The Roku Channel and Tubi, accounted for 5.7% (Nielsen, June 2025). By June 2026, streaming’s share had reached 48.5% (MediaPost citing Nielsen, August 2026). Vietnam has no equivalent public measurement, so do not apply US numbers to a local plan.
For advertisers, ad-supported OTT offers things traditional TV struggles to provide: targeting by device and audience, frequency caps, and measurement of completed views. The common ways to buy are through a DSP, private deals with platforms, or buying YouTube in Google Ads.
2026 change: Decree 242/2026/ND-CP
On June 26, 2026, Vietnam’s government issued Decree 242/2026/ND-CP, which details the Press Law’s provisions on radio and television activities and services. It took effect on July 1, 2026 and repealed Decree 06/2016/ND-CP. The decree defines radio and television services on the internet as services that use an internet connection through a specific domain name or internet address managed by Vietnam, including apps. The scope of state oversight also covers internet services provided across borders to users in Vietnam (LuatVietnam, Decree 242/2026/ND-CP, June 2026). Brands placing ads on these platforms should ask their partners directly about licensing.
Illustrative example (hypothetical)
A dairy brand books VND 100 million for 15-second video ads on an OTT platform at a CPM of VND 120,000. Impressions come to 100,000,000 / 120,000 × 1,000, or about 833,000. If 85% of impressions are watched to the end, the campaign gets about 708,000 completed views, at a cost of about VND 141 per completed view. When comparing with video ads on social media, compare on the same cost per completed view and check which formats are skippable.
Frequently asked questions
Is OTT just Netflix?
No. Netflix is one OTT service, using a subscription model. There are also free ad-supported services, hybrid services that combine subscriptions and ads, and FAST channels that run on a schedule like TV.
How do you measure OTT ad performance?
Usually with reach, frequency, completion rate and brand awareness surveys. The calculations are explained in the Reach and Frequency entry.
If you are thinking about adding OTT to your video plan and need to compare it with the channels you already use, the Adtek team can talk it through with you on our contact page.
