Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, setting a streaming rate cap for a client device; obtaining a bitrate ladder associated with the client device, wherein the bitrate ladder comprises a listing of a plurality of bitrates that the client device can request in connection with receiving streaming data; determining a boost rate for the client device, wherein the boost rate is greater than the streaming rate cap such that the boost rate enables the client device to receive the streaming data faster than the client device would otherwise receive the streaming data under the streaming rate cap, and wherein the boost rate is based upon the bitrate ladder; and enabling delivery to the client device of the streaming data up to the boost rate; wherein a network device is part of a network through which the streaming data is delivered to the client device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method in which a processing system identifies a plurality of performance indicators comprising device performance indicators for a plurality of communication devices on a cellular network and network performance indicators for the cellular network. The method also includes obtaining historical data regarding the plurality of performance indicators for each of a series of time points during a past time period; the historical data for each of the plurality of performance indicators form an array of values for that performance indicator. The method further includes generating from each array a set of inputs to an algorithm for predicting a throughput of the cellular network during a future time period; the set of inputs comprises quantiles of the array, and the algorithm comprises a machine learning algorithm. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method in which a processing system obtains encoded video content, and transmits the encoded video content over a network for presentation at a communication device by a video player executing on the communication device. The encoded video content is decoded in a decoding process by a decoder of an operating system of the communication device to generate decoded video content; the decoded video content is analyzed by a complexity analyzer of the operating system to generate a video complexity report. The method also includes receiving the video complexity report over the network from the communication device, and adjusting a data rate for the encoded video content, based at least in part on the video complexity report, to generate adjusted video content for transmission to the communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, selecting a first video service model according to a server hostname determined according to transport layer security (TLS) transaction data associated with a video session transmitted over a network, calculating a plurality of data delivery statistics from the TLS transaction data according to the first video service model, where the plurality of data delivery statistics includes session-level statistics over the video session, transaction-level statistics over each transaction, and temporal feature statistics over intervals of the video session, determining a quality of experience (QoE) metric for the video session from the plurality of data delivery statistics according to a course-grained data QoE model, and adjusting a first network element of the network responsive to the determining the QoE metric for the video session. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, identifying unselected video content items and preconfiguring playback views for unselected video content items. During a warm-up phase, access to the unselected video content items is precoordinated individually with a separate video player, manifests and license/key are retrieved in anticipation for possible selection for playback. Subsequent selection of one of the unselected video content items initiates playback responsive to selection without repeating any of the preconfiguring, preauthorizing or fetching. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A processing system may determine, during a downloading of a first video chunk associated with a first time block of a video, a risk of stall condition, the first video chunk encoded at a first bitrate of a plurality of available bitrates, determine that a number of a received first plurality of frames of the first video chunk exceeds a threshold, transmit a request for a next video chunk associated with a next time block of the video and an indication to a source device to stop transmitting additional frames of the first video chunk, receive a second plurality of frames of the first video chunk from the source device that were transmitted prior to the source device receiving the indication, receive frames of the next video chunk, and play the first and second plurality of frames of the first video chunk, and the frames of the next video chunk.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a server associated with a network operator, a plurality of uniform resource locators (URLs) associated with a media stream provided to a client device. The method includes processing, at the server, the plurality of URLs to determine a quality of experience metric. Processing the plurality of URLs includes extracting first URL data from a first URL and second URL data from a second URL of the plurality of URLs. The first URL data includes a first segment identifier associated with a first segment of a media content item and a first bit rate identifier. The second URL data includes a second segment identifier associated with a second segment of the media content item and a second bit rate identifier. A quality of experience metric may be determined based at least in part on the first URL data and the second URL data.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method in which a processing system directs video flows to a plurality of user devices located at network cells, and determines a first or second data usage priority for each user device. The system detects congestion at a cell of the network and/or in the video flows. The system also performs a first congestion-aware shaping procedure for video flows in the congested cell directed to user devices of a second priority located at the congested cell, and subsequently performs a second congestion-aware shaping procedure for video flows in the congested cell directed to user devices of the first priority located at the congested cell. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method in which a processing system obtains encoded video content, and transmits the encoded video content over a network for presentation at a communication device by a video player executing on the communication device. The encoded video content is decoded in a decoding process by a decoder of an operating system of the communication device to generate decoded video content; the decoded video content is analyzed by a complexity analyzer of the operating system to generate a video complexity report. The method also includes receiving the video complexity report over the network from the communication device, and adjusting a data rate for the encoded video content, based at least in part on the video complexity report, to generate adjusted video content for transmission to the communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, identifying unselected video content items and preconfiguring playback views for unselected video content items. During a warm-up phase, access to the unselected video content items is precoordinated individually with a separate video player, manifests and license/key are retrieved in anticipation for possible selection for playback. Subsequent selection of one of the unselected video content items initiates playback responsive to selection without repeating any of the preconfiguring, preauthorizing or fetching. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, selecting a first video service model according to a server hostname determined according to transport layer security (TLS) transaction data associated with a video session transmitted over a network, calculating a plurality of data delivery statistics from the TLS transaction data according to the first video service model, where the plurality of data delivery statistics includes session-level statistics over the video session, transaction-level statistics over each transaction, and temporal feature statistics over intervals of the video session, determining a quality of experience (QoE) metric for the video session from the plurality of data delivery statistics according to a course-grained data QoE model, and adjusting a first network element of the network responsive to the determining the QoE metric for the video session. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a server associated with a network operator, a plurality of uniform resource locators (URLs) associated with a media stream provided to a client device. The method includes processing, at the server, the plurality of URLs to determine a quality of experience metric. Processing the plurality of URLs includes extracting first URL data from a first URL and second URL data from a second URL of the plurality of URLs. The first URL data includes a first segment identifier associated with a first segment of a media content item and a first bit rate identifier. The second URL data includes a second segment identifier associated with a second segment of the media content item and a second bit rate identifier. A quality of experience metric may be determined based at least in part on the first URL data and the second URL data.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a device from a content source, a portion of a particular chunk of media content a particular quality level during adaptive bit rate media streaming of the media content. The method includes receiving, at the device, network data related to network conditions associated with the device in response to receipt of the portion. The method also includes, in response to a determination to download the particular chunk at a first quality level different than the particular quality level, the determination based on the particular quality level and the network data: sending a request from the device for the particular chunk at the first quality level to the content source, and replacing the portion with the particular chunk at the first quality level.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method in which a processing system directs video flows to a plurality of user devices located at network cells, and determines a first or second data usage priority for each user device. The system detects congestion at a cell of the network and/or in the video flows. The system also performs a first congestion-aware shaping procedure for video flows in the congested cell directed to user devices of a second priority located at the congested cell, and subsequently performs a second congestion-aware shaping procedure for video flows in the congested cell directed to user devices of the first priority located at the congested cell. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: In various aspects, a system that comprises detecting a congestion event in a network that transmits a first group of data packets and a second group of data packets, wherein the detecting the congestion event comprises detecting the congestion event has initiated in response to a data packet throughput value of the network having been determined to have decreased below a threshold value; in response to the detecting of the congestion event, determine a transmission rate of the second group of data packets based on a transmission priority of the second group of data packets; determining a data packet dropping rate for the second group of data packets based on the transmission rate of the second group of data packets and a size of the first group of data packets and transmitting the second group of data packets utilizing the transmission rate and the data packet dropping rate.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a device from a content source, a portion of a particular chunk of media content a particular quality level during adaptive bit rate media streaming of the media content. The method includes receiving, at the device, network data related to network conditions associated with the device in response to receipt of the portion. The method also includes, in response to a determination to download the particular chunk at a first quality level different than the particular quality level, the determination based on the particular quality level and the network data: sending a request from the device for the particular chunk at the first quality level to the content source, and replacing the portion with the particular chunk at the first quality level.

Abstract: In various aspects, a system that comprises detecting a congestion event in a network that transmits a first group of data packets and a second group of data packets, wherein the detecting the congestion event comprises detecting the congestion event has initiated in response to a data packet throughput value of the network having been determined to have decreased below a threshold value; in response to the detecting of the congestion event, determine a transmission rate of the second group of data packets based on a transmission priority of the second group of data packets; determining a data packet dropping rate for the second group of data packets based on the transmission rate of the second group of data packets and a size of the first group of data packets and transmitting the second group of data packets utilizing the transmission rate and the data packet dropping rate.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method comprising sending context information from a mobile wireless device through a control channel to a network server; receiving a policy at the mobile wireless device from the network server, wherein the policy assigns a video streaming bit rate to the mobile wireless device based on the context information; and implementing the policy to control a video streaming session between the mobile wireless device and a media server over a data channel. The context information may include information about the mobile wireless device and/or a user of the mobile wireless device. The policy may be different for each mobile wireless device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Concepts and technologies directed to agile transport for background traffic in cellular networks are disclosed herein. In various aspects, a system can include a processor and memory storing instructions that, upon execution, cause performance of operations. The operations can include determining a capacity of a communication path that communicatively couples a user equipment to a radio access network cell site. The operations can include identifying, from the radio access network cell site, a queue that is constructed for the user equipment. The operations can include assembling a plurality of probe burst packet sets from a background traffic flow. The operations can include probing the communication path for spare capacity using the plurality of probe burst packet sets and delivering the background traffic flow to the user equipment using the spare capacity while the communication path is not busy.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, identifying unselected video content items and preconfiguring playback views for unselected video content items. During a warm-up phase, access to the unselected video content items is precoordinated individually with a separate video player, manifests and license/key are retrieved in anticipation for possible selection for playback. Subsequent selection of one of the unselected video content items initiates playback responsive to selection without repeating any of the preconfiguring, preauthorizing or fetching. Other embodiments are disclosed.