A mobile device having a processor, memory and input/output interfaces, wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to: measure, by the mobile device, a signal quality of a wireless signal encountered at various locations as the mobile device visits the various locations; store, in the memory of the mobile device, data indicative of the signal quality of the wireless signal encountered at the various locations; determine, by the processor, an expected path of the mobile device; retrieve from the memory, by the processor, the data indicative of the signal quality of the wireless signal encountered at each of a plurality of the various locations along the expected path of the mobile device; process, using the processor, the data to identify one or more locations along the expected path of the mobile device having reduced signal quality; and adapt a schedule of requests for segments of a video stream based upon the processing to thereby reduce data delivery while the device is near the one or more locations along the expected path of the mobile device having reduced signal quality; wherein received segments of the video stream are stored in a buffer of the mobile device and adapt comprises: compare an expected duration of a dead zone of reduced signal quality to the playback time of the media stream and determine if sufficient time remains to pre-fetch one or more segments of the media stream before the mobile device enters the dead zone, if sufficient time remains, pre-fetch the one or more segments for playback through the expected duration of the dead zone, otherwise determine if the buffer contains enough of the media stream to maintain playback through the expected duration of the dead zone, if the buffer contains enough of the media stream, maintain playback through the expected duration of the dead zone, otherwise adapt a playback rate of the media stream while the mobile device traverses the dead zone. measure, by the mobile device, a signal quality of a wireless signal encountered at various locations as the mobile device visits the various locations; store, in the memory of the mobile device, data indicative of the signal quality of the wireless signal encountered at the various locations; determine, by the processor, an expected path of the mobile device; retrieve from the memory, by the processor, the data indicative of the signal quality of the wireless signal encountered at each of a plurality of the various locations along the expected path of the mobile device; process, using the processor, the data to identify one or more locations along the expected path of the mobile device having reduced signal quality; and adapt a schedule of requests for segments of a video stream based upon the processing to thereby reduce data delivery while the device is near the one or more locations along the expected path of the mobile device having reduced signal quality; wherein received segments of the video stream are stored in a buffer of the mobile device and adapt comprises: compare an expected duration of a dead zone of reduced signal quality to the playback time of the media stream and determine if sufficient time remains to pre-fetch one or more segments of the media stream before the mobile device enters the dead zone, if sufficient time remains, pre-fetch the one or more segments for playback through the expected duration of the dead zone, otherwise determine if the buffer contains enough of the media stream to maintain playback through the expected duration of the dead zone, if the buffer contains enough of the media stream, maintain playback through the expected duration of the dead zone, otherwise adapt a playback rate of the media stream while the mobile device traverses the dead zone. compare an expected duration of a dead zone of reduced signal quality to the playback time of the media stream and determine if sufficient time remains to pre-fetch one or more segments of the media stream before the mobile device enters the dead zone, if sufficient time remains, pre-fetch the one or more segments for playback through the expected duration of the dead zone, otherwise determine if the buffer contains enough of the media stream to maintain playback through the expected duration of the dead zone, if the buffer contains enough of the media stream, maintain playback through the expected duration of the dead zone, otherwise adapt a playback rate of the media stream while the mobile device traverses the dead zone.