1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to quality-of-experience (QoE) in wireless networks, and more particularly to managing QoE for Video-on-Demand (VoD) sessions in 4G wireless networks.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Broadband Wireless technologies are expected to be widely deployed. They allow high bandwidth applications such as video-on-demand (VoD), video conferencing and other streaming applications delivered over a wireless link with both quality-of-service (QoS) guarantees and adherence to security specifications. The adoption of 4G networks also encourages large number of participant equipment manufacturers and service providers to contribute and lead in 4G ecosystem development.
Delivery of managed services over 4G is a potential business opportunity. Managed service ensures delivery of a end-user service while meeting end-user and organizational expectations for that service. In 4G networks, one major differentiator is the quality-of-service (QoS) support that can enhance the quality-of-experience (QoE). The challenges to be addressed in this regard in 4G wireless networks are distinct and unique compared to those in wireline or pre-4G wireless networks.
Guaranteeing QoE is difficult for applications delivered over any network and this is compounded in broadband wireless networks due to aspects of mobility, time-varying channel capacity, high-bandwidth applications, etc. Existing techniques mainly address managing the contracted QoS parameters.
In prior work in the general area of QoS in wireless and wired networks, pre-reservations with BSs in the user path has been proposed. Similarly, adapting the instantaneous rate to the current conditions and providing reduced QoS using layered encoding has been considered in the context of multimedia traffic.
These prior works propose elaborate networked systems for alleviating congestion in wired networks. Managing service in wireless networks requires orchestration methods that are cognizant of issues specific to wireless networks and therefore the methods proposed therein do not extend to wireless networks.