1. Understand the basics of speech encoding and video compression.
2. Understand differences in these schemes and their impact on quality and latency.  Understand impairments caused by packet loss and packet delay on stream quality and latency.  Identify information pertaining to the media stream that needs to accompany the media traffic when transmitted over the network, and develop the basics of a protocol for the transmission of encoded media over IP networks. 
3. Identify the information that needs to be communicated in a signaling scheme to establish a VoIP call. Learn about signaling protocols standardized by the IETF for establishing a voice call and for control a video stream from a server.
4. Learn about advances made in access networks (DSL, cable networks, passive optical networks, radio access networks), home networks (MoCA, 802.11ad), and data centers necessary to support multimedia traffic to stationary and mobile users. 
5. Understand the functionality required to offer VoIP and IPTV services and the architectural framework required to provide these services and, in the case of VoIP, to interoperate with the Public Switched Telephone Network.

1. Media Processing and transmission

Most of our communications needs involve audio, video, images and data. Each type of media has specific traffic characteristics and places specific requirements on the networks in terms of bandwidth and latency.  This part of the module examines the encoding techniques used for voice and video, and examines the characteristics of the resulting traffic associated with these media for various multimedia applications.  It also specifies the requirements in terms of bandwidth and latency for various multimedia applications.  The impairments resulting from packet loss and packet delay is assessed.

This part of the module also examines a Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) for the transport of stream traffic (audio and video) in the Internet.  It specifies how media data is packetized, and provides means to carry necessary information such as: source identification, payload type, timestamps, and other payload specific information.  It also comprises a Real-time Transport Control Protocol (RTCP) that allows synchronization of multiple media streams, and adaptation of the media traffic to network conditions.

2. Session Layer Protocols

This part of the module addresses the development of protocols essential for the support of multimedia sessions over the Internet; e.g., voice calls, videoconferences, video-on-demand sessions or gaming sessions.  Session layer protocols are needed to describe, announce, establish and manage multimedia sessions in the Internet.  The Session Description Protocol (SDP) specifies information pertaining to a multimedia session including among others: identification of, and contact information for, the originator of the session, a title for the session (e.g., a seminar on a particular subject), the media involved (audio, or video, or both), as well as quality of service and security requirements, etc.  The Session Announcement Protocol (SAP) specifies means to announce a multimedia session over a multicast channel.  The Session Invitation Protocol (SIP) specifies how users establish communication sessions (e.g., a voice communication session, a video conferencing session, or a gaming session) either directly (in a peer-to-peer fashion,) or with the assistance of SIP proxy servers.  Finally, the Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) specifies means for controlling a media stream from a media server, as is the case with video on demand.

3. Advances in Internet infrastructure

The Internet infrastructure is composed of many networks that fall into the following main categories: home networks, enterprise networks, access networks, metropolitan area networks, and wide area backbone networks.  With the proliferation of data centers essential to many services it is important to add yet another category, that of data center networks.  This part of the course is devoted to advances made in these network categories:

Advances in local area networks comprising expedited traffic capabilities, filtering services for the dynamic use of multicast addresses, virtualization, and time synchronization.  Development of carrier grade Ethernet technology for use in metropolitan area networks (Metro Ethernet) to provide carrier grade voice, video and data communication services.

Advances in IEEE 802.11 wireless LANs comprising higher data rates (IEEE 802.11n), differentiated services to support voice and video traffic (IEEE 802.11e), and wireless mesh networks in which communication between end points involves transmission over multiple wireless links.  Development of a 60 GHz wireless LAN standard (IEEE 802.11ad) with directional antennas for indoor communication capable of achieving Gb/s rates to accommodate the transmission of uncompressed video (wireless HDMI) and the interconnection of computer components such as central processor units, peripheral storage devices, and graphic displays.

Development by the Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) of a home networking technology standard for fast and reliable transmission of multimedia traffic over existing in-home coaxial cabling, enabling the distribution of high definition video and content over the entire home.  Applications include: in-home backbone for wireless network extension, multiroom digital video recorders, over-the-top streaming content, gaming, HDTV, Ultra HDTV and 3D TV.

Advances in DSL technologies allowing the offering of triple play services (Broadband Internet access, voice communication, and IPTV) over digital subscriber loop access networks, exemplified by AT&T’s U-verse.

Development by cable Labs of PacketCable, an extensive suite of specifications that transform DOCSIS-based cable modem access networks into IP networks over which cable operators provide triple play services.  A complete architecture is defined to provide seamless voice communication services among users connected to cable modem networks and users connected to the public switched telephone network (PSTN).

Development of Passive Optical Networks technology standards (IEEE 802.3ah EPON and ITUT’s GPON standards) for the deployment of fiber optic based access networks, bringing Fiber To The Home (FTTH).

Development by 3GPP of a new wireless networking technology standard known as Long Term Evolution (LTE) aimed at increasing the capacity and speed of wireless data networks and redesigning the network architecture to an IP-based system with significantly reduced transfer latency compared to the 3G architecture.

Development of network layer protocols useful in managing IP networks (particularly MPLS and DiffServ), facilitating traffic engineering and the appropriate treatment of different traffic types so as to meet their respective requirements.

4. Existing and emerging applications and services

This section of the course is devoted to a description of existing and emerging telecommunications applications and services.  Attention is devoted to architectural frameworks for the delivery of these services as well as related standardization effort. Of interest is the redirection by 3GPP of the Internet Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) architecture to require support of wireless LANs and fixed lines, creating a form of fixed-mobile convergence.  We also address the role of new paradigms such as Network Virtualization, Software Defined Networking (SDN), and peer-to-peer communications in the delivery of services.

• Participation in class and on Moodle discussion board 10%
• Project report 50%
• Class presentation 20%
• Peer reviews 20%