QCI (Quality of Experience, Communication, or Channel Identity) stands for Quality of Service Class Indicator. It is a term commonly used in the field of telecommunications and mobile networks to describe the priority level and performance characteristics of data transmitted over a network.
In mobile networks, QCI is used as an identification parameter to classify different types of traffic and determine the level of service each type of traffic receives. It plays a crucial role in ensuring that different applications and services can coexist and be delivered efficiently over a shared network infrastructure.
QCI is typically defined by a numerical value ranging from 1 to 9, with 1 representing the highest priority and 9 representing the lowest priority. Each QCI value is associated with predefined performance characteristics such as packet delay, packet loss, throughput, and reliability.
The QCI value assigned to a specific type of traffic determines the resources and treatment it receives within the network. For example, real-time services like voice or video calling may require a lower QCI value to ensure low latency and uninterrupted communication, while non-real-time services such as email or web browsing may be assigned a higher QCI value.
By allocating different QCI values to different types of traffic, network operators can effectively manage network resources and prioritize critical services, ensuring a better quality of experience for end-users. QCI enables networks to deliver differentiated services based on the specific requirements and expectations of different applications and users.
