QoE fairness, HTTP Adaptive Streaming and IDVB-T: The AWM approach

In this paper, we show how Active Window Management (AWM) technique can be exploited for providing QoE fairness to the HTTP Adaptive Streaming users of an interactive digital broadcasting network. Furthermore, we test AWM´s efficiency against another QoE fairness provision solution, presented in other research efforts, namely the Traffic Shaping. Towards these, we firstly describe the deployment of AWM and Traffic Shaping software modules in each intermediate node (Cell Main Node-CMN) of the broadcasting network and secondly we proceed with the experimental evaluation. The experimental results showed not only AWM´s efficiency to achieve the set fairness goal but also revealed AWM´s capacity, when compared to Traffic Shaping, to provide for much lower TCP Round Trip Times (88% less) and zero retransmissions; a result which could, in principle, lead to less TCP rate variations and thus less Quality Profile fluctuations.