A method for conditional performing media delivery index measurements on streaming media comprising: Identifying , within a network , a media stream under consideration for a conditional media delivery index by inspecting one or more packets of the media stream for characteristics and/or attributes of the media stream ; Identifying , for the media stream, an expected packet rate at which the media stream is expected to pass through at least a portion of the network based at least in part on characteristics and/or attributes of the media stream ; Determining , for the media stream, an actual packet rate at which the media stream actually passes through the portion of the network; characterized in : Calculating , based at least in part on the expected packet rate and the actual packet rate, a media rate variation that represents a reference for determining whether to perform the conditional media delivery index on the media stream; determining whether the media rate variation meets a certain threshold; and incrementing, in response to determining that the media rate variation meets the certain threshold, a counter that tracks a number of continuous intervals during which the certain threshold has been met; determining whether the counter meets an additional threshold; and activating the conditional media delivery index for the media stream in response to determining that the counter meets the additional threshold. Identifying , within a network , a media stream under consideration for a conditional media delivery index by inspecting one or more packets of the media stream for characteristics and/or attributes of the media stream ; Identifying , for the media stream, an expected packet rate at which the media stream is expected to pass through at least a portion of the network based at least in part on characteristics and/or attributes of the media stream ; Determining , for the media stream, an actual packet rate at which the media stream actually passes through the portion of the network; characterized in : Calculating , based at least in part on the expected packet rate and the actual packet rate, a media rate variation that represents a reference for determining whether to perform the conditional media delivery index on the media stream; determining whether the media rate variation meets a certain threshold; and incrementing, in response to determining that the media rate variation meets the certain threshold, a counter that tracks a number of continuous intervals during which the certain threshold has been met; determining whether the counter meets an additional threshold; and activating the conditional media delivery index for the media stream in response to determining that the counter meets the additional threshold. Calculating , based at least in part on the expected packet rate and the actual packet rate, a media rate variation that represents a reference for determining whether to perform the conditional media delivery index on the media stream; determining whether the media rate variation meets a certain threshold; and incrementing, in response to determining that the media rate variation meets the certain threshold, a counter that tracks a number of continuous intervals during which the certain threshold has been met; determining whether the counter meets an additional threshold; and activating the conditional media delivery index for the media stream in response to determining that the counter meets the additional threshold. <EOS>