A framework for evaluating efficiency-fairness tradeoff in IP networks in context of development

Efficiency and fairness are main objectives in any system design and many choices in life are made based on their tradeoffs. In this paper we introduce a framework for the evaluation of efficiency-fairness tradeoffs that would provide a sound basis for network providers and social planners to provide or plan for an equitable access to the Internet to a diversity of users with different needs and financial possibilities representing mainly developing regions and emerging economies. Control approaches are introduced to address the upraising distortion of fairness concept in IP based networks by using the (alpha, beta) - fairness concept to establish the upper and lower fairness bounds within which the social welfare and the network efficiency are maximized. Although the use of the (alpha, beta) - fairness concept compromises to a certain extent the degree for fairness in resource capacity allocation, it does not jeopardize the utilities for end users or the network provider. Fairness in this context mainly parameterizes tradeoff between services equality and throughput maximization.