QoE-Net · Project

Measuring and Managing User Experience Quality for Multimedia and Streaming Services

digitalPrototypeTRL 3Thin data (2/5)

You know how sometimes a video call freezes, a game lags, or a streaming show buffers — and it ruins the whole experience? A group of 12 researchers across 7 countries spent four years figuring out exactly what makes users happy or frustrated when using multimedia services like gaming, IPTV, and mobile apps. They combined signal processing, networking, psychology, and sociology to understand QoE — Quality of Experience — from every angle. The result is simulation tools and research methods that help predict and manage how good a service feels to the person using it.

By the numbers

Early-stage researchers trained

Consortium partners

Countries represented

Private companies in consortium

Total deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Users abandon multimedia services — streaming, gaming, mobile apps — when the experience quality drops, even briefly. The challenge is that "quality" is subjective and depends on a tangle of technical factors (network, device, encoding) and human factors (expectations, context, psychology). Most companies measure technical metrics like bitrate or latency but miss the full picture of what actually makes users stay or leave.

The solution

What was built

The project produced simulation tools for modeling QoE scenarios, along with 11 deliverables covering QoE analysis methods that combine signal processing, networking, psychology, and sociology. As a training network, it also produced 12 trained researchers with cross-disciplinary expertise in multimedia quality management.

Audience

Who needs this

Telecom operators managing IPTV and video streaming qualityMobile gaming companies dealing with user churn from poor experienceOTT streaming platforms optimizing across diverse devicesDigital publishing platforms (e-books, newspapers) on mobileSocial networking companies managing multimedia content delivery

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Telecommunications

enterprise

Target: Telecom operators and ISPs offering video streaming or IPTV

If you are a telecom operator dealing with customer churn because users complain about video quality or buffering — this project developed simulation tools and QoE measurement methods that help you understand what drives user satisfaction across multimedia services. The research covered signal processing, networking, psychology and sociology dimensions, giving you a multi-angle view of experience quality. With 3 private companies in the consortium, the methods were shaped with industry input.

Online Gaming

any

Target: Mobile and online gaming platforms

If you are a gaming company struggling with user drop-off due to lag or poor experience on different devices — this project researched QoE optimization specifically for mobile online gaming and 3D virtual worlds. The simulation tools developed can help model how network conditions and device capabilities affect player experience. The research team included 12 early-stage researchers working across 6 European countries and Korea.

Media and Entertainment

mid-size

Target: OTT streaming and digital publishing platforms

If you are a streaming or digital publishing platform trying to keep subscribers engaged across smartphones, tablets, and e-books — this project analyzed QoE for emerging multimedia services including IPTV, newspaper consumption, and social networking apps. The user-centered approach studied how content production, service activation, and content consumption all affect perceived quality. The consortium spanned 10 partners across 7 countries bringing diverse perspectives.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement QoE management based on this research?

No pricing data is available — this was a Marie Skłodowska-Curie training network (MSCA-ITN-ETN), focused on training 12 early-stage researchers rather than developing a commercial product. Implementing the research findings would require custom development and integration work. The simulation tools produced are research-grade, not turnkey commercial solutions.

Can these QoE methods scale to millions of users on a live network?

The project produced simulation tools for modeling QoE scenarios, but there is no evidence of large-scale deployment or live network testing. The research focused on analysis, design, and optimization methods rather than production-ready systems. Scaling would require significant engineering effort beyond what the project delivered.

Who owns the intellectual property from this research?

IP is distributed across the 10 consortium partners — 7 academic institutions, 3 private companies, and 1 standardization institute across 7 countries. Licensing would need to be negotiated with the relevant partner depending on which specific methods or tools you need. The coordinator is the University of Cagliari in Italy.

What exactly was delivered — are there usable tools?

The project produced 11 deliverables total, including simulation tools for QoE modeling. However, as a training network, the primary output was trained researchers and published research rather than market-ready software. The simulation tools are likely research prototypes suitable for further development.

How current is this research given the project ended in 2018?

The project ran from 2015 to 2018, making the core research 7+ years old. While the fundamental principles of QoE measurement remain relevant, the specific multimedia services landscape has evolved significantly since then. The methods would need updating for current streaming protocols, 5G networks, and newer content formats.

Does this comply with any QoE standards?

The consortium included 1 standardization institute, suggesting alignment with standards development. The research covered QoE across multimedia signal processing, communications, and computer networking. Based on available project data, specific standard references are not detailed in the provided information.

Consortium

Who built it

The QoE-Net consortium brings together 10 partners from 7 countries (Italy, Germany, UK, Norway, Hungary, Switzerland, and South Korea), with a 30% industry ratio — 3 private companies alongside 6 universities and 1 standardization body. The international spread is strong, and the inclusion of a Korean partner adds an Asian market perspective on multimedia services. However, this was fundamentally a training network: the 12 early-stage researchers were the main "product," not commercial technology. The 1 SME in the consortium and the standardization institute add some commercial grounding, but businesses should understand that the outputs are research methods and simulation tools, not deployment-ready solutions.

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI CAGLIARICoordinator · IT
INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNIONpartner · CH
HOLOGRAFIKA HOLOGRAMELOALLITO FEJLESZTO ES FORGALMAZO KFTparticipant · HU
UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTHparticipant · UK
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT BERLINpartner · DE
THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY (SWITZERLAND) GMBHparticipant · CH
KINGSTON UNIVERSITY HIGHER EDUCATION CORPORATIONparticipant · UK
DEUTSCHE TELEKOM AGparticipant · DE
NORGES TEKNISK-NATURVITENSKAPELIGE UNIVERSITET NTNUparticipant · NO
YONSEI UNIVERSITYpartner · KR

How to reach the team

The coordinator is Universita degli Studi di Cagliari in Italy. The trained researchers from this network may now be working in industry or academia across 7 countries and could be valuable hires or consultants.

Order a report on this consortium See UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI CAGLIARI profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

SciTransfer can help you identify which QoE-Net researchers are now in industry and could consult on your multimedia quality challenges. We connect businesses with the right scientific expertise.

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