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<concept id="GUID-75539D46-4DE9-5522-AC02-FA1BFD465937" xml:lang="en"><title>Network

Characteristics of the QoS</title><shortdesc>This topic describes the concepts of the network characteristics

of the QoS. </shortdesc><prolog><metadata><keywords/></metadata></prolog><conbody>

<p>The Quality of Service (QoS) of any communication network is defined by

the bandwidth, reliability, and latency. The other defining factors such as

coverage, security and interoperability are taken as a provided by the user. </p>

<p>When the demand for the network services increases the network carriers

need a way to share the network resources among the subscribers. Some subscribers

demand a high bandwidth such as streaming video, others require basic characteristics

such as voice telephony and messaging. </p>

<p>The service provider must handle the competing demands and charge for them

appropriately. The service provider needs tools to limit the rate and volume

of the traffic entering and passing through the network. These tools must

adapt to the changes in the environment so that the resources available to

the network are allocated when required. </p>

<p>The QoS determines: </p>

<ul>

<li id="GUID-F8F09EBA-FBCF-5D05-AB95-B6096A628D60"><p>the actual performance

of the network. </p> </li>

<li id="GUID-BD0861C4-FE84-514F-954A-29E4CAC0B90A"><p>the network management

and the distribution of shared resources. </p> </li>

<li id="GUID-B0C51074-0175-5821-B188-ECC70F598F32"><p>the cost of carrying

the traffic so that any level of QoS can be charged at a reasonable rate. </p> </li>

</ul>

<p><note> Any QoS measurement must take a balanced account of all the three

factors. </note></p>