--- title: "What Is IPTV? Internet Protocol Television Explained" description: "IPTV delivers television over internet protocol, traditionally on an operator's managed network. See how it works and how it differs from OTT." url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/iptv" markdown_url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/iptv.md" category: "Platform" updated: "2026-10-05" --- # What is IPTV? IPTV (internet protocol television) is the delivery of television channels and on-demand video using internet protocol. In its original sense it runs over a telecom operator's own managed network to a set-top box, rather than over the open internet. ## How IPTV works An operator receives channels at a central facility, encodes them and sends them through its broadband network to subscribers' set-top boxes. Because the operator controls the network end to end, it can reserve capacity for television and guarantee quality. Middleware manages the service: subscriber accounts, channel packages, the program guide and on-demand catalog. ## What an IPTV service offers - Live television channels - Video on demand - Catch-up and time-shifted viewing - An electronic program guide - Pay-per-view events ## IPTV vs OTT Both use internet protocol. Classic IPTV is tied to one operator's network and box. OTT travels over the public internet to any device, so it needs no network of its own. In practice the line has blurred. Many services described as IPTV today are delivered over the open internet to apps and inexpensive boxes, which technically makes them OTT. The word is also used for unlicensed channel resellers, which is a legal question about rights, not a technical one. ## IPTV on RentAnOTT RentAnOTT delivers live channels, events and on-demand video over the internet to branded web, mobile and TV apps. Live is included on Growth and Scale and is a $119/month add-on on Launch. [See pricing](https://www.rentanott.com/pricing). ## Related terms - [OTT](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/ott) — OTT (over-the-top) is the delivery of video to viewers over the open internet, direct from the service to the viewer's device, without a cable, satellite or telecom operator controlling the distribution. - [IPTV middleware](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/iptv-middleware) — IPTV middleware is the software layer that sits between an operator's video systems and its subscribers' devices. It manages accounts, channel packages, the program guide, on-demand content, billing integration and set-top boxes. - [Linear channel](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/linear-channel) — A linear channel is a continuous stream of programs played in a fixed schedule, like a traditional television channel. Viewers join whatever is on at that moment rather than choosing a title to start. - [EPG](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/epg) — An EPG (electronic program guide) is the on-screen schedule for linear channels. It shows what is playing now and what is coming up on each channel, usually as a grid of channels against time, and lets the viewer tune to a program from it. - [Set-top box](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/set-top-box) — A set-top box (STB) is a device that connects to a television and supplies it with video from a source the television cannot receive by itself, such as a cable, satellite or IPTV service, or streaming apps over the internet. - [Catch-up TV](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/catch-up-tv) — Catch-up TV is a service that makes programs available on demand for a limited period after they were shown on a linear channel, commonly 7 to 30 days. It lets viewers watch what they missed without recording it. - [Live streaming](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/live-streaming) — Live streaming is delivering video over the internet as it is captured, so that viewers watch an event while it is happening, with a delay of a few seconds rather than after a recording has been uploaded. - [Pay-per-view](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/pay-per-view) — Pay-per-view (PPV) is a model where a viewer pays once to watch a single program, most often a live event such as a fight, a match or a concert, rather than subscribing to a channel or catalog. ## Further reading - [IP boxes and IPTV explained](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/ip-box-iptv) - [Pay-per-view for IPTV and OTT](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/iptv-pay-per-view) - [OTT solution guide](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/ott-solution) ## Frequently asked questions ### What does IPTV stand for? IPTV stands for internet protocol television. ### Is IPTV legal? The technology is. Whether a particular service is legal depends on whether it holds the rights to the channels and content it carries. ### Do I need my own network to launch an IPTV-style service? No. A content owner with the rights to channels or events can deliver them over the internet to apps, which gives viewers the same experience without operating a network. All 163 terms: [Streaming and OTT glossary](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary). ## Book a demo Tell RentAnOTT what you are launching. The team walks through the platform and maps the path to go-live around your catalog, markets and revenue model. Book a demo: https://www.rentanott.com/contact ## More from RentAnOTT - [Home](https://www.rentanott.com/index.md) — What RentAnOTT is, what every plan includes, and how launch works - [Features](https://www.rentanott.com/features.md) — Every core feature and optional add-on - [Pricing](https://www.rentanott.com/pricing.md) — Platform tiers, apps, add-ons, usage rates and example bills in INR and USD - [Free tools](https://www.rentanott.com/tools.md) — OTT app builder and calculators for streaming revenue, bandwidth, bitrate and pricing - [Insights](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs.md) — All streaming business articles - [Glossary](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary.md) — Definitions of streaming and OTT terms - [Book a demo](https://www.rentanott.com/contact.md) — Talk to RentAnOTT about your launch Full site in one file: https://www.rentanott.com/llms-full.txt