Adaptive Bitrate and Congestion Control
Learn how WebRTC adapts media quality in real time using congestion control algorithms and simulcast to keep calls smooth on changing networks.
Networks Are Never Stable
Real-time media runs over networks that fluctuate constantly: Wi-Fi dips, cellular handoffs, shared bandwidth. A fixed bitrate will either waste capacity or overwhelm a weak link.
Adaptive bitrate lets the sender match its output to current conditions.
Signals of Congestion
WebRTC infers congestion from feedback:
- Packet loss reported via RTCP.
- Increasing delay (jitter and one-way delay growth).
- Receiver estimates of available bandwidth.
All lessons in this course
- WebRTC Security Best Practices
- Optimizing Media Quality
- Bandwidth Management Techniques
- Adaptive Bitrate and Congestion Control