A method for streaming content data comprising: receiving, by an application-layer throughput rate shaping device, a current content request message of a respective client device, the current content request message requesting a current content segment of a sequence of content segments of a streaming data file for a streaming data session of the client device, and forwarding the current content request to a remote content server; receiving, by the application-layer throughput rate shaping device, a current content response message transmitted by the content server in response to the forwarded current content request, the current content response including the requested current content segment, determining a current segment size of the current content segment; determining, a target ALT rate required to support a desired playback rate, PBR, for the streaming data session of the client device; characterized in that receiving the request message by the application-layer throughput rate shaping device, further comprises recording a time of receipt of the current content request message; receiving the response message by the application-layer throughput rate shaping device, further comprises recording a time of receipt of the current content response message; determining the current application-layer throughput, ALT, rate for the current segment based on the time of receipt of the content request message, the time of receipt of the content response message and the segment size; determining by the application-layer throughput rate shaping device, whether the current ALT rate is greater than the determined target ALT rate; when it is determined that the current ALT rate is higher than the target ALT rate, the method further comprises holding the content response message for a holding time determined to lower the current ALT rate to the target ALT rate, and providing the content response to the client device upon termination of the holding time; wherein when the segment size is smaller than an average segment size for the playback rate, then those segments are excluded from consideration, and the method further comprises promptly releasing the current content segment to the client device; and when it is determined that a current ALT rate is not higher than the target ALT rate, the method further comprises promptly providing the current content segment to the client device. receiving, by an application-layer throughput rate shaping device, a current content request message of a respective client device, the current content request message requesting a current content segment of a sequence of content segments of a streaming data file for a streaming data session of the client device, and forwarding the current content request to a remote content server; receiving, by the application-layer throughput rate shaping device, a current content response message transmitted by the content server in response to the forwarded current content request, the current content response including the requested current content segment, determining a current segment size of the current content segment; determining, a target ALT rate required to support a desired playback rate, PBR, for the streaming data session of the client device; characterized in that receiving the request message by the application-layer throughput rate shaping device, further comprises recording a time of receipt of the current content request message; receiving the response message by the application-layer throughput rate shaping device, further comprises recording a time of receipt of the current content response message; determining the current application-layer throughput, ALT, rate for the current segment based on the time of receipt of the content request message, the time of receipt of the content response message and the segment size; determining by the application-layer throughput rate shaping device, whether the current ALT rate is greater than the determined target ALT rate; when it is determined that the current ALT rate is higher than the target ALT rate, the method further comprises holding the content response message for a holding time determined to lower the current ALT rate to the target ALT rate, and providing the content response to the client device upon termination of the holding time; wherein when the segment size is smaller than an average segment size for the playback rate, then those segments are excluded from consideration, and the method further comprises promptly releasing the current content segment to the client device; and when it is determined that a current ALT rate is not higher than the target ALT rate, the method further comprises promptly providing the current content segment to the client device.