Mobile Music Distribution: A Multichannel Approach

In contrast to what is happening in the Internet-based scenario, the music market in the mobile scenario is far from beingconsidered a large success. Several studies state that excessive downloading time and high cost are the main burdens.Motivated by the growth of social and mobile applications, in this paper we propose an approach that aims at reducing both the downloadingtime and the cost to get digital music when acquired in the mobile scenario. The proposed architecture exploits the usage ofpersonal communication technologies embedded in cellphones (e.g., Bluetooth and Wi-Fi) to couple the current distributionmodel (mainly based on 3G networks), so as to provide a multichannel distribution model where users are free to redistributedigitalmusic. The architecture includes a license-based securitymechanism that prevents unauthorized usage of digitalmusic, and makes use of an incentive mechanism to stimulate and reward the music distribution among customers. By analyzing pros and cons of the music distribution chain, results show that the proposed architecture might help in reducing both the downloading time and the cost to get digital music when acquired in the mobile scenario. Therefore, it might be helpful to the success of the mobile music scenario

Economic issues in distributed computing

textOn the Internet, one of the essential characteristics of electronic commerce is the integration of large-scale computer networks and business practices. Commercial servers are connected through open and complex communication technologies, and online consumers access the services with virtually unpredictable behavior. Both of them as well as the e-Commerce infrastructure are vulnerable to cyber attacks. Among the various network security problems, the Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack is a unique example to illustrate the risk of commercial network applications. Using a massive junk traffic, literally anyone on the Internet can launch a DDoS attack to flood and shutdown an eCommerce website. Cooperative technological solutions for Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks are already available, yet organizations in the best position to implement them lack incentive to do so, and the victims of DDoS attacks cannot find effective methods to motivate the organizations. Chapter 1 discusses two components of the technological solutions to DDoS attacks: cooperative filtering and cooperative traffic smoothing by caching, and then analyzes the broken incentive chain in each of these technological solutions. As a remedy, I propose usage-based pricing and Capacity Provision Networks, which enable victims to disseminate enough incentive along attack paths to stimulate cooperation against DDoS attacks. Chapter 2 addresses possible Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks toward the wireless Internet including the Wireless Extended Internet, the Wireless Portal Network, and the Wireless Ad Hoc network. I propose a conceptual model for defending against DDoS attacks on the wireless Internet, which incorporates both cooperative technological solutions and economic incentive mechanisms built on usage-based fees. Cost-effectiveness is also addressed through an illustrative implementation scheme using Policy Based Networking (PBN). By investigating both technological and economic difficulties in defense of DDoS attacks which have plagued the wired Internet, our aim here is to foster further development of wireless Internet infrastructure as a more secure and efficient platform for mobile commerce. To avoid centralized resources and performance bottlenecks, online peer-to-peer communities and online social network have become increasingly popular. In particular, the recent boost of online peer-to-peer communities has led to exponential growth in sharing of user-contributed content which has brought profound changes to business and economic practices. Understanding the dynamics and sustainability of such peer-to-peer communities has important implications for business managers. In Chapter 3, I explore the structure of online sharing communities from a dynamic process perspective. I build an evolutionary game model to capture the dynamics of online peer-to-peer communities. Using online music sharing data collected from one of the IRC Channels for over five years, I empirically investigate the model which underlies the dynamics of the music sharing community. Our empirical results show strong support for the evolutionary process of the community. I find that the two major parties in the community, namely sharers and downloaders, are influencing each other in their dynamics of evolvement in the community. These dynamics reveal the mechanism through which peer-to-peer communities sustain and thrive in a constant changing environment.Information, Risk, and Operations Management (IROM

Measuring Quality Change due to Technological Externality in Multi-Feature Service Bundles

Technological innovation, externalities and network effects keep shifting the preference parameters in cellular telecommunication service sector. The paper suggests a framework to model these changes.It notes two channels that affect the service prices (in possibly opposite ways). In each corresponding period, consumer with lower reservation prices are shopping for the services. But these reservation prices are going up due to complementarity/ network effects. Under some reasonable assumptions on industry and cost structure, market data can be used to identify these changes. A price index is suggested that decomposes service bundle price changes into the change in price for same-quality of service and change in quality of the service bundle. Some interesting properties of these indexes are also discussed.

Unleashing the Power of Edge-Cloud Generative AI in Mobile Networks: A Survey of AIGC Services

Artificial Intelligence-Generated Content (AIGC) is an automated method for generating, manipulating, and modifying valuable and diverse data using AI algorithms creatively. This survey paper focuses on the deployment of AIGC applications, e.g., ChatGPT and Dall-E, at mobile edge networks, namely mobile AIGC networks, that provide personalized and customized AIGC services in real time while maintaining user privacy. We begin by introducing the background and fundamentals of generative models and the lifecycle of AIGC services at mobile AIGC networks, which includes data collection, training, finetuning, inference, and product management. We then discuss the collaborative cloud-edge-mobile infrastructure and technologies required to support AIGC services and enable users to access AIGC at mobile edge networks. Furthermore, we explore AIGCdriven creative applications and use cases for mobile AIGC networks. Additionally, we discuss the implementation, security, and privacy challenges of deploying mobile AIGC networks. Finally, we highlight some future research directions and open issues for the full realization of mobile AIGC networks

Channel assignment and routing in cooperative and competitive wireless mesh networks

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Docter of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.In this thesis, the channel assignment and routing problems have been investigated for both cooperative and competitive Wireless Mesh networks (WMNs). A dynamic and distributed channel assignment scheme has been proposed which generates the network topologies ensuring less interference and better connectivity. The proposed channel assignment scheme is capable of detecting the node failures and mobility in an efficient manner. The channel monitoring module precisely records the quality of bi-directional links in terms of link delays. In addition, a Quality of Service based Multi-Radio Ad-hoc On Demand Distance Vector (QMR-AODV) routing protocol has been devised. QMR-AODV is multi-radio compatible and provides delay guarantees on end-to-end paths. The inherited problem of AODV’s network wide flooding has been solved by selectively forwarding the routing queries on specified interfaces. The QoS based delay routing metric, combined with the selective route request forwarding, reduces the routing overhead from 24% up to 36% and produces 40.4% to 55.89% less network delays for traffic profiles of 10 to 60 flows, respectively. A distributed channel assignment scheme has been proposed for competitive WMNs, where the problem has been investigated by applying the concepts from non-cooperative bargaining Game Theory in two stages. In the first stage of the game, individual nodes of the non-cooperative setup is considered as the unit of analysis, where sufficient and necessary conditions for the existence of Nash Equilibrium (NE) and Negotiation-Proof Nash Equilibrium (N-PNE) have been derived. A distributed algorithm has been presented with perfect information available to the nodes of the network. In the presence of perfect information, each node has the knowledge of interference experience by the channels in its collision domain. The game converges to N-PNE in finite time and the average fairness achieved by all the nodes is greater than 0.79 (79%) as measured through Jain Fairness Index. Since N-PNE and NE are not always a system optimal solutions when considered from the end-nodes prospective, the model is further extended to incorporate non-cooperative end-users bargaining between two end user’s Mesh Access Points (MAPs), where an increase of 10% to 27% in end-to-end throughput is achieved. Furthermore, a non-cooperative game theoretical model is proposed for end-users flow routing in a multi-radio multi-channel WMNs. The end user nodes are selfish and compete for the channel resources across the WMNs backbone, aiming to maximize their own benefit without taking care for the overall system optimization. The end-to-end throughputs achieved by the flows of an end node and interference experienced across the WMNs backbone are considered as the performance parameters in the utility function. Theoretical foundation has been drawn based on the concepts from the Game Theory and necessary conditions for the existence of NE have been extensively derived. A distributed algorithm running on each end node with imperfect information has been implemented to assess the usefulness of the proposed mechanism. The analytical results have proven that a pure strategy Nash Equilibrium exists with the proposed necessary conditions in a game of imperfect information. Based on a distributed algorithm, the game converges to a stable state in finite time. The proposed game theoretical model provides a more reasonable solution with a standard deviation of 2.19Mbps as compared to 3.74Mbps of the random flow routing. Finally, the Price of Anarchy (PoA) of the system is close to one which shows the efficiency of the proposed scheme.The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan and the University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar

Regulation of local content on the digital platform

Thesis (M.M. (Public Policy))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Graduate School of Public and Development Management, 2015This study examines options for regulating local content in the digital environment, focusing on the DTT platform. Based on qualitative interviews and documentary analysis, it reflects on the impact of local content regulations in South Africa, as well as that of technology and market changes resulting from digital broadcasting. The findings confirm that while demand for local programming has increased, its quality and diversity has not improved. Independent production companies derived limited benefit from the regulations. The Independent Communications Authority (ICASA) lacks capacity to enforce and to assess their impact. The regulations were found to be inadequate to regulate local content in a digital environment. The study suggests interventions for addressing the above short comings and ensuring continued relevance of local content regulations. It also suggests ways of protecting broadcasters’ revenues, required to sustain production local content for the digital multichannel environment. From a practical perspective, it recommends that production funding be strengthened and better coordinated to ensure that the production sector meets the increased demand for local productions. Further, that African and regional content be considered as local content in order to achieve economies of scale required to sustain these productions. Regulatory wise, the study recommends stringent regulation of competition to achieve regulatory parity with broadcast-like services and to protect incumbent free to air broadcasters’ advertising revenues. It is proposes that local content quotas be reviewed and aggregated across channel bouquets, but also to accommodate niche and specialist channels. However, quotas are only effective as part of a broader well-coordinated system of regulating both the supply and demand of local content, supported by a strong monitoring and enforcement system. Likewise, traditional broadcasting business models, content acquisition strategies and the intellectual rights rules must be reviewed to suit the changed audience and media consumption patterns. Finally, it recommends an overhaul of the broadcasting policy in order to accommodate regulation of content in a converged environment, and by default the application of local content regulation on the DTT platform