Modeling and evaluating IPTV applications in WiMAX networks

Abstract

Internet Protocol-based Television (IPTV) is a digital television service which delivers television content via an IP network. The rapid growth of wireless network technology in recent years has changed, the way people access the Internet. Adding mobility to IPTV can create a truly compelling ubiquitous service which spans different network domains and varied IP-enabled terminals and devices, such as set-top boxes, PCs and cell phones. However, extending IPTV service to wireless networks requires overcoming bandwidth bottlenecks and high packet loss rates. Following the IEEE 802.16 standard, worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) features high data rates and large service coverage, offering a wireless broadband solution for IPTV services. While previous research has focused on creating a broadband IPTV service few studies have practically evaluated IPTV applications in a wireless broadband network environment. In this paper, we model and evaluate a common constant bit rate (CBR)1 based IPTV application and an IPTV live streaming (PPStreaming)2 application while retrieving IPTV content via a WiMAX network. We also use the NS2 simulation tool to evaluate the performance of these two IPTV applications. The evaluation metrics include latency, packet loss, data rate and throughput statistics when the two IPTV applications are run in the WiMAX network. 1The simplest IPTV solution is to convey video content by CBR. IPTV operators and content delivery networks relay CBR streaming content to control the demand for network capacity. Broadcasters prefer CBR video as it conserves bandwidth resources, but CBR delivery can degrade video quality result in higher overall demand on network capacity. 2PPStreaming (also referred to as P2P streaming Internet TV) is a network for live media streaming. In principle it's similar to BitTorrent (BT) in that it provides stable and smooth broadcast of TV programs to broadband users. Unlike traditional streaming media, PPStreaming adopts P2P-streaming technology and supports full-scale visits with tens of thousands of simultaneous users. Its client software can be used in the browser or as a standalone executable.