Definition
OTT (over-the-top) messaging is chat delivered over an internet connection by an app such as WhatsApp, Telegram or Messenger, rather than through the mobile operator’s SMS service.
OTT apps carry text, media, buttons and rich content over data or Wi-Fi. Delivery depends on the recipient having the app and connectivity, and businesses access them through the platform’s own business API.
Compared with SMS, OTT offers richer formats, read receipts and two-way conversations, but reach is limited to app users and each platform imposes its own policies and pricing.
In the GCC, WhatsApp is widely used for customer conversations, while SMS remains the default for OTPs and official alerts because it reaches every phone.
Many businesses therefore combine channels: send on an OTT app first and fall back to SMS if the message is not delivered.