Optimizing user experience in encrypted traffic

A method performed by a first user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

• receiving from a network node a usage data request;
• negotiating a first mask value with a second UE;
• obtaining first usage data value associated with a first application or a first application type;
• calculating a first masked usage data value using the obtained first usage data value and the first mask value as inputs to the calculation;
• after receiving the usage data request, transmitting toward the network node a usage data reporting message comprising the first masked usage data value.

A method, the method comprising:

• combining a first group of usage values generated at a first group of user equipments (UEs), thereby generating a first cumulative usage value, wherein the first group of usage values is associated with a first application or a first application type;
• obtaining a second group of usage values generated at a second group of UEs, thereby generating a second cumulative usage value, wherein the second group of usage values is associated with a second application or a second application type;
• sorting (i) the first and second applications or (ii) the first and second application types based on the first and second cumulative usage values;
• running a first machine learning (ML) model to predict first uplink (UL) and/or downlink (DL) data usages associated with the first application or the first application type;
• and
• running a second ML model to predict second UL and/or downlink DL data usages associated with the second application or the second application type.