Towards MEC-Servers Deployment for Multimedia Streaming over 5G CRAN-Architecture Networks

Abstract

This article evaluates MEC-servers deployment for multimedia on-demand streaming service over 5G cellular networks. The experiments are based on simulations within a CRAN architecture. Three performance metrics are assessed: operational download, piece delay, and channel utilization. Overall, the experiments reveal substantial effectiveness, enhancing QoS and QoE levels. Among the main findings, we highlight that: (i) for a storage capacity of only 5% of the content providers, MEC-servers deployment reduces data volume on the network by up to 85.7%, whereas (ii) for a storage capacity of 30%, all three metrics above reach their most optimized operating values, regardless of video popularity and network latencies. As its main contribution, this research thus provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of streaming-service projects in 5G cellular networks equipped with MEC servers. At last, conclusions and future work conclude this article.