Cross-Layer Signaling for Enhanced Wireless QoE

The paper proposes a novel cross-layer signaling mechanism to provide unprecedented Quality of Experience (QoE) in next generation mobile networks. The number of network-connected cameras is rapidly increasing, especially on the widely and globally deploying cellular networks (i.e. LTE). In many cases, the video traffic can be considered as a real-time traffic, as the video traffic generating service may require continuous real-time human interaction or may be a part of the remote control system. Meanwhile, throughput and delay can vary rapidly due to changes in a radio network, thus affecting service QoE. The novel cross-layer signaling mechanism presented requires minimal modification to the networking stack at the client side for faster feedback of wireless link capacity variations. The proposed mechanism has been evaluated via simulation with video traffic. The results show outage rate decreased from 1.3 outages/sec to zero and reduction in self-inflicted delay, from 60 ms to 14 ms.