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Nowadays, video streaming has become one of the most dominant services due to increasing interest in watching online television programs and video-on-demand activities. Providing this service requires high quality, high speed and high-capacity network infrastructures. In this work, we propose a data-driven-based fuzzy logic inference algorithm for quality of experience (QoE) modeling of video streaming services in Addis Ababa City LTE network. The proposed fuzzy logic inference system model is used to measure the user perception from the key quality of indicator (KQI) parameters. The model is essential to replace conventional subjective measurement techniques that are costly and inefficient. In addition, the proposed fuzzy logic inference system model is helpful for business decision making, network planning and optimization activities. To analyze the performance of the proposed model, we consider main KQI parameters such as video streaming start success rate, video streaming start delay, video streaming play disconnection rate, video streaming stall frequency and video streaming stalled time rate. We perform numerical simulation to analyze the proposed model and to validate the impacts of main KQI parameters on the quality of experience in LTE video streaming services. The simulation results show that video streaming stall frequency and video streaming start delay rate play a major impact on user perception by 33% and 25%, respectively. Besides, validation of the results shows that the proposed fuzzy logic inference system model is accurate, consistent and linear compared to currently existing models.

In mobile networks, handover mechanisms provide fast and smooth access service for mobile users. However, one of the main challenges in mobile networks is the handover management with increased mobility and bandwidth demand of the required network services. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a MOS-aware (mean opinion score-aware) mobile network handover mechanism based on deep learning to determine the appropriate handover time for real-time video conference services in mobile networks. We construct a wireless network topology with LTE characteristics in a Mininet-WiFi simulation. User equipment (UE) can determine the service-required MOS (Mean Opinion Score) from the proposed deep-learning-based handover mechanism with appropriate handover time. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme provides higher performance than the original A3 handover mechanism. The contribution of this paper is to combine the real-time video conferencing services with a deep-learning-based handover mechanism by predicting MOS values to improve the quality of service for users in mobile networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, video streaming has become one of the most dominant services due to increasing interest in watching online television programs and video-on-demand activities. Providing this service requires high quality, high speed and high-capacity network infrastructures. In this work, we propose a data-drivenbased fuzzy logic inference algorithm for quality of experience (QoE) modeling of video streaming services in Addis Ababa City LTE network. The proposed fuzzy logic inference system model is used to measure the user perception from the key quality of indicator (KQI) parameters. The model is essential to replace conventional subjective measurement techniques that are costly and inefficient. In addition, the proposed fuzzy logic inference system model is helpful for business decision making, network planning and optimization activities. To analyze the performance of the proposed model, we consider main KQI parameters such as video streaming start success rate, video streaming start delay, video streaming play disconnection rate, video streaming stall frequency and video streaming stalled time rate. We perform numerical simulation to analyze the proposed model and to validate the impacts of main KQI parameters on the quality of experience in LTE video streaming services. The simulation results show that video streaming stall frequency and video streaming start delay rate play a major impact on user perception by 33% and 25%, respectively. Besides, validation of the results shows that the proposed fuzzy logic inference system model is accurate, consistent and linear compared to currently existing models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the authors present results of a call testing campaign using voice over long term evolution (VoLTE) technology on the radio access network of the operator Telecom Italia mobile. The quality of the voice call is expressed by means of the mean opinion score (MOS). The electromagnetic propagation environment has been reproduced within a reverberation chamber, and its effect on MOS has been evaluated by varying the signal strength, i.e. the reference signal received power and the signal‐to‐interference noise ratio. The aim is to find a correlation between the radio propagation environment and the perceived quality of the speech. Regardless of the networks technology, voice quality could be impacted by several factors: traffic load of LTE evolved Node B, quality of service, radio pathloss, mutual radio interference, multipath and so on. Interference and multipath are added to the useful signal in order to deteriorate the MOS, until the VoLTE calls dropped. Target of such work is to properly set the thresholds that trigger a handover of single radio voice call continuity to other radio access technologies (UMTS or GSM). Tests take also into account the adaptive multi‐rate CoDec selected by the network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main goals of the future wireless networks is improving the users’ quality of experience (QoE). In this paper, we consider the problem of the QoE-based resource allocation in the downlink of a massive multiple-input multiple-output heterogeneous network. The network consists of a macrocell with a number of small cells embedded in it. The small cells’ base stations (BSs) are equipped with a few antennas, while the macro BS is equipped with a massive number of antennas. We consider the two services Video and Web Browsing and design the beamforming vectors at the BSs. The objective is to maximize the aggregated mean opinion score (MOS) of the users under constraints on the BSs’ powers and the required quality of service of the users. We also consider extra constraints on the QoE of users to more strongly enforce the QoE in the beamforming design. To reduce the complexity of the optimization problem, we suggest suboptimal and computationally efficient solutions. Our results illustrate that increasing the number of antennas at the BSs and also increasing the number of small cells’ antennas in the network leads to a higher user satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a Multi-Constraint Quality-of-Experience (QoE) centric Routing (MCQR) technique for efficient real-time video streaming over Mobile Ad-hoc Networks (MANETs). The dynamic estimation of link quality metric during MCQR route discovery process is the key of enhancing QoE at end user. MCQR limits end-to-end delay and jitter of received data packets by selecting long lifetime routes with maximum permissible delay. This minimizes the distortion caused fluctuations in perceived video. To prove the effectiveness of MCQR for real-time video streaming, we have designed a hybrid MANET consisting of simulated nodes and physical machines. In our hybrid network, the source and destination nodes are video traffic generators and receivers running on physical devices. Emulation results are obtained using real-time video streaming over high fidelity virtual wireless network, and conforming that the MCQR protocol provides satisfactory QoE to end users as compared to existing similar techniques. The packet delivery ratio of MCQR is higher than 90 % and its mean opinion score is higher than three (i.e., satisfactory) even when mobility and shadowing effects are kept high in target network scenarios. These improvements are achieved along with still maintaining similar or better routing overhead and processing delays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digital television providing over the networks, based on the Internet Protocol, gives the exceptional opportunities to the service provider for its broadcasting. However, all Internet Protocol Television broadcasting solutions are directly related with the user's perception of the service quality. This perception depends on the visible or audible factors, which are observed during the channel change process of Internet Protocol Television. The channel change process of Internet Protocol Television is assessed by its duration. Due to this, it is important to analyze the relation between the channel change process and the user's perception of the quality of Internet Protocol Television. The experimental investigations for the subjective and objective Mean Opinion Score evaluation of the user's perceived quality assessment for Internet Protocol Television according to the channel change process are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through years of development Content Networks (CN) have become more sophisticated and more technically diverse. Modern CN are designed to be more adaptive to communication environment, devices and user requirements. However, one open issue is the still fluctuating quality of service provision. As a result user experience can be negatively affected. In order to maintain a satisfactory level of user experience it is crucial to develop a feasible solution to measure the extent to which video services meet users' expectation. Assessing video quality with respect to users' subjective opinions is a complex task. In this paper we address challenges of this task and design an integrated framework using a number of comprehensive functional modules. Our framework integrates objective quality assessment models of Artifacts Measurement (AM) and Quality of Delivery (QoD) approaches. Only the fittest models are activated by the framework considering requirements of individual evaluation tasks. We also introduce our recent work of realising key functional modules of the framework. Joint subjective experiments between two institutes have also been carried out for the purpose of model implementation and evaluation. Results from experiments verify the concept of an integrated framework and show the effectiveness of its key modules in estimating the quality level of video services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents different no reference (NR) objective metrics addressing the most important artefacts for raw (source) video sequences (noise, blur, exposure) and those introduced by compression (blocking, flickering) which can be used for assessing quality of experience. The validity of all metrics was verified under subjective tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel two-scale auditory feature based algorithm for non-intrusive evaluation of speech quality. The neuron firing probabilities along the length of the basilar membrane, from an explicit auditory model, are used to extract features from the distorted speech signal. This is in contrast to previous methods, which either use standard vocal tract based features, or incorporate only some aspects of the human auditory perception mechanism. The features are extracted at two scales, namely a global scale spanning all voiced frames in an utterance, and a local scale spanning voiced frames from contiguous voiced segments in the utterance. This is followed by a simple information fusion at the score level using Gaussian Mixture Models (GMMs). The use of an explicit auditory model to extract features is based on the premise that similar processing (in a qualitative sense) happens in human speech perception. In addition, auditory feature extraction at two scales incorporates the effects of both long term and short term distortions on speech quality. The proposed algorithm is shown to perform at least as good as the ITU-T Recommendation P.563. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the activity performed in the three-year project “Integration of Multimedia Services on Heterogeneous Satellite Networks,” funded by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and carried out by the Italian National Consortium for Telecommunications (CNIT). The description of the activity allows highlighting the problems, findings, and solutions in utilizing TCP/IP-based services and applications, such as audio-video transmission and Web browsing, via satellite channels. The article presents an experimental approach to provide QoS guarantees and to improve the performance of TCP over a satellite network based on the TCP/IP suite. The aim is to obtain a proper environment for data, voice, and video transmission oriented to a distance learning service that uses both audio-video applications and Web-based tools. The experimental scenario is made up of three remote LANs. Two of them are connected through a geostationary orbit satellite link in the Ka-band (20-30 GHz). The other LAN, located in a site where no satellite station is available, is connected through an ISDN link at 512 kb/s. Both subjective metrics such as mean opinion score and objective metrics such as throughput and overall transmission time have been used to evaluate the performance of the system and to get proper configurations able to guarantee a high QoS perceived by the users. The integrated services approach along with the resource reservation protocol were chosen to reserve the network resources at the IP level. A modified version of TCP has been proposed and utilized to reduce the download time during Web browsing and f.t.p. sessions. The measures reported have been obtained by real operative sessions [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]