Abstract: A method of sustaining live interactive streaming of multimedia content from a transmitter to a receiver through a communication network exhibiting channel congestion. The method comprises: transmitting the multimedia content encoded in a first encoding scheme characterized by a high bit rate; receiving and reconstructing the transmitted multimedia content through a dynamic switch lag buffer; measuring, recording and analyzing an incoming packet delay at the receiver; predicting a packet delay based on the analyzed incoming packet delay; predicting an increase in channel congestion by detecting an increase in the predicted packet delay, and notifying the transmitter thereof, and transmitting thereupon the multimedia content using a second encoding scheme characterized by a low bit rate.