Abstract: A method comprising: conducting a communication session between a first terminal and a second terminal, the session comprising transmitting an encoded bitstream from an encoder of the first terminal over a channel to the second terminal; measuring a bandwidth capacity experienced over the channel at multiple different times, thereby collecting a history of bandwidth measurements for the channel; based on the history of bandwidth measurements, obtaining at least a selected upper bandwidth constraint for the encoded bitstream; and during the session, dynamically adapting an encoded bandwidth with which to encode the bitstream, by dynamically selecting the encoded bandwidth based on one or more current conditions of the channel, but constrained by at least said upper bandwidth constraint.

Abstract: A method, performed from a server, of regulating a selection of an encoded bandwidth with which an encoded bitstream is transmitted from an encoder of a transmitting terminal over a channel to at least one receiving terminal, in a communication session between the transmitting and receiving terminals. The method comprises: receiving, at the server, information relating to the communication session; and from the server, setting a constraint on the selection of the encoded bandwidth. The setting of this constraint comprises, based on the received information, computing at least an upper bandwidth constraint for the encoded bitstream, and sending an indication of the upper bandwidth constraint to the transmitting terminal or receiving terminal, thereby allowing the transmitting or receiving terminal to perform the selection of the encoded bandwidth but constrained by said upper bandwidth constraint.

Abstract: A method comprising: conducting a communication session between a first terminal and a second terminal, the session comprising transmitting an encoded bitstream from an encoder of the first terminal over a channel to the second terminal; measuring a bandwidth capacity experienced over the channel at multiple different times, thereby collecting a history of bandwidth measurements for the channel; based on the history of bandwidth measurements, obtaining at least a selected upper bandwidth constraint for the encoded bitstream; and during the session, dynamically adapting an encoded bandwidth with which to encode the bitstream, by dynamically selecting the encoded bandwidth based on one or more current conditions of the channel, but constrained by at least said upper bandwidth constraint.