Evaluation of the energy consumption in secure HTTP video streaming over 5G

Abstract

The increased global consumption of online video content necessitates research into reducing the energy consumption and environmental impact of online video streaming. HTTP is currently the most widely used data transfer protocol in video streaming due to its extensive support within existing internet infrastructure. This study evaluates the energy efficiency of secure HTTP video streaming over 5G under various conditions, including different HTTP protocol versions, TLS protocol versions, bitrates, and video buffer sizes. The results indicate energy consumption benefits when using HTTP/3.0 compared to earlier versions. Additionally, a correlation was found between reduced energy consumption and larger video buffer sizes, particularly when the 5G modem’s connection to the network is suspended during inactivity between bursts of video traffic. This suggests that longer video buffers can effectively reduce user equipment (UE) energy consumption.