Rate-distortion optimized application-level retransmission using streaming agent for video streaming over 3G wireless network

Feedback adaptation has been the basis for many media streaming schemes whereby the media being sent is adapted according to feedback information about the channel. Central to the success of such adaptive schemes, the feedback must (1) arrive in a timely manner, and (2) carry enough information to effect useful adaptation. We examine the use of feedback adaptation for media streaming in a 3G wireless network, where the media servers are located in wired networks while the clients are wireless. We argue that end-to-end feedback adaptation using only information provided by 3G standards is neither timely, nor contain enough information for media adaptation at the server. We then show how the introduction of an streaming agent (SA) at the junction of the wired and wireless network can be used to provide useful information in a timely manner for media adaptation.