QoE model for video delivered over an LTE network using HTTP adaptive streaming

Abstract

The end user quality of experience (QoE) of content delivered over a radio network is (mainly) influenced by the radio parameters in the radio access network. This paper will present a QoE model for video delivered over a radio network (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE)) using HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) adaptive streaming (HAS). The model is based on experiments performed in the context of the Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN) project P-SERQU (Project Service Quality Definition and Measurement). In the first phase, a set of representative HAS profiles were selected based on a lab experiment where scenarios with typical radio impairments (fading, signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, round trip time and competing traffic) were investigated in a test network. Based on these HAS profiles, video files were prepared by concatenating chunks of the corresponding video quality. In a second phase, these video files were downloaded, viewed, and rated by a large number of volunteers. Based on these user scores a mean opinion score (MOS) was determined for each of the video files, and hence, the HAS profiles. Several QoE models that predict the MOS from the HAS profile have been analyzed. Using the preferred QoE model, a range of MOS values can be obtained for each set of initial radio impairments. It is argued that a QoE model based on the radio parameters is necessarily less accurate than a QoE model based on HAS profiles and an indication is given of how much the performance of the former is less than the latter.