Systems and methods for implementing an acknowledgement mechanism for transmission of a real-time data stream from a sending system to a receiving system are disclosed. An exemplary method implemented in a sending system involves establishing a connection with a receiving system for transmitting a real-time data stream to the receiving system. The method also involves transmitting a current segment of the real-time data stream to the receiving system. If an acknowledgement of the current segment is not received from the receiving system during a predetermined time period, the method also involves discontinuing any retransmission attempts for the current segment and transmitting a next segment to the receiving system.