The relative efficiency of direct and maximum likelihood estimates of mean waiting time in the simple queue, M/M/1

Abstract

A problem of estimating waiting time in the statistical analysis of queues is investigated. The continuous time study of the M/M/1 queue made by Bailey is adapted to obtain the asymptotic variance of a direct estimate of waiting time as obtained under conditions of incomplete information. This is then compared with the asymptotic variance of the maximum likelihood estimate as obtained under conditions of complete information and based on the results of Clarke.