Evaluating Latency of Video Streaming Over 4G Wireless Cellular Networks

When streaming videos, people make use of different streaming protocols, such as: Real Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), Secure Reliable Transport (SRT), and Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC). These streaming protocols are sensitive to packet loss, latency, and jitter, which form major causes of constraints to video streaming. Internet-based Protocol Television (IPTV) video transmission, in which television programmes and movies are broadcast live or on demand through the internet, require high-speed internet connection such as 4xSTM-1 or 622mb/s Synchronous Transport Module (STM) in order to avoid data packet loss or transmission delays caused by the speed of the internet connection. This work evaluated video streaming latency responsible for data packet loss in video transmission through the internet over 4G wireless cellular networks. Evaluation was carried out using appropriate testing methods of Ping Test, Traceroute, and Paessler Router Traphic Grapher (PRTG) Network Monitors, to detect packet loss delays in the networks. Results obtained for Intra-Network test on three (3) 4G Networks A, B, and C showed that Network C is most reliable for video streaming than Networks A and B. Video streaming latency results for Inter-Network tests between Networks A and C showed best performance than for between Networks B and A, and Networks B and C.