▁ ▁O TT , ▁or ▁Over - the - top ▁content ▁by pass es ▁multiple ▁system ▁operators ▁entirely , ▁and ▁allows ▁view ing ▁of ▁programs ▁hosted ▁by ▁independent ▁prov iders . ▁Internet ▁television , ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁web ▁television , ▁began ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁and ▁has ▁become ▁popular ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 s ▁on ward , ▁resulting ▁in ▁a ▁tr end ▁of ▁cord - cut ting ▁– ▁the ▁cancel ing ▁of ▁cable ▁subscri ptions ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁online ▁content ▁that ▁consum ers ▁supp lement ▁with ▁either ▁over - the - air ▁broadcast s , ▁DVD ▁rent als ▁or ▁a ▁combination ▁of ▁all ▁three ▁view ing ▁methods . ▁ ▁Web ▁television ▁prov iders ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁include ▁Net fli x ▁( which ▁was ▁originally ▁struct ured ▁as ▁a ▁mail - order ▁DVD ▁r ental ▁service ), ▁H ulu , ▁My TV , ▁and ▁many ▁international ▁websites ▁such ▁as ▁YouTube , ▁Mys pace , ▁New ground s , ▁B lip ▁and ▁Cra ck le . ▁View ers ▁can ▁watch ▁these ▁programs ▁from ▁any ▁web ▁browser , ▁whether ▁on ▁a ▁desktop ▁computer , ▁laptop , ▁table t ▁or ▁smart phone . ▁Mobile ▁television ▁services ▁also ▁include ▁mobile ▁apps ▁for ▁both ▁traditional ▁and ▁new ▁programming ▁prov iders , ▁usually ▁optimized ▁for ▁a ▁small ▁screen ▁and ▁mobile ▁band width ▁constraints . ▁Mobile ▁video ▁is ▁available ▁for ▁direct ▁download ▁or ▁streaming ▁( us ually ▁for ▁a ▁one - time ▁download ▁fee ) ▁from ▁the ▁i T unes ▁Store