 Subscribers Services Merchants developers OTT services are global, flow over the local operators' networks and substitute their services. For example, Skype traffic flows over an operator's infrastructure and replaces its long-distance telephone service. The revenue loss has been significant: Ovum reported that SMS revenue declined by some $13.9 billion in 2011 [8] because of appli- cations such as WhatsApp, and has estimated that OTT service providers will erode network operators revenues by up to $479 billion by 2020 [9]. In some countries the impact has been SO great that mobile operators have started their own OTT apps (e.g. mVoIP by Korea Telecom) [10]. Some other mobile operators block their subscribers from accessing these apps unilaterally [e.g. Skype is blocked by two internet service providers (ISPs) in the United Arab Emirates] [11]. However, this appears to be a losing battle if the growth of OTT companies and their market share is a guide. Case Study Questions What do you see as the main reason for the growth of Skype in the early 1990s? Why did messaging apps such as Whats App prosper? What do you see as the reason for Facebook acquisition of WhatsApp in 2014? How does iMessage complement Apple products? Is there a chance for retail/infrastructure operators in their battle against OTT players? Why? Content Provision The business system associated with the delivery of content is relatively complex and involves a large number of third-party entities. As illustrated in Figure 14.5, these entities work together to provide infotainment content that may be carried over a broadband telecommunications network infrastructure. The content is produced, retailed and aggregated by a large number of independent or at times vertically integrated players. Such content is then brought near a user through content distribution networks, and accessed by a broadband service provider. Furthermore, a number of manufacturers produce equipment over which infotainment content may be presented to the end-user. In this way a 