Methods and apparatus for controlling a communication network (2) to deliver traffic to and/or from an end node (4) are presented. In an example method, a network node (8) receives information indicating a user-controllable selection at the end node (4) to have at least some of the end node (4)'s traffic delivered with a low priority level that is lower than a high priority level. Accordingly, the network node (8) controls the communication network to deliver at least some of the end node (4)'s traffic with said low priority level and awards one or more tokens accordingly. Furthermore, the network node (8) may receive information indicating a user-controllable selection at the end node (4) to have at least some traffic delivered with the high priority level. The network node (8) may accordingly redeem one or more tokens awarded to the end node (4) and controlling the communication network (2) to deliver at least some of the traffic with said high priority level.

Novel solutions to provide enhanced configurability of network access. Such solutions can provide, inter alia, enhanced utilization of network resources (including without limitation network aggregation devices, such as DSLAMs and the like). In an aspect of some solutions, a network aggregation device can divide an aggregate uplink bandwidth into a plurality of time slots. Some or all of the time slots can be reserved for different customers (subscribers). In another aspect of some embodiments, the time slots can be allocated in such a way as to simulate oversubscription of the aggregate uplink bandwidth

Novel solutions to provide enhanced configurability of network access. Such solutions can provide, inter alia, enhanced utilization of network resources (including without limitation network aggregation devices, such as DSLAMs and the like). In an aspect of some solutions, a network aggregation device can divide an aggregate uplink bandwidth into a plurality of time slots. Some or all of the time slots can be reserved for different customers (subscribers). In another aspect of some embodiments, the time slots can be allocated in such a way as to simulate oversubscription of the aggregate uplink bandwidth.

Methods, apparatus, and systems manage use of shared network resources among subscribers to a data communication service. In some implementations, a first metric is computed representing a subscriber's use of the shared network resources. A second metric may also be computed that represents the amount of network congestion of the shared network resources. Data derived from the first metric and the second metric may then be presented to the subscriber. The data may be transmitted to the subscriber over a network and/or the data may be displayed to the subscriber on an electronic display.

A congestion state reporting method and an access network device are provided by the present invention. The method comprises: obtaining, by an access network device, an identifier of a gateway device corresponding to bearers, and reporting to the gateway device congestion state information of a cell covered by the access network device via part of bearers from the bearers corresponding to the identifier. The method mentioned above can avoid the problem in the prior art that the congestion state is further aggravated, so that the gateway device can process the problem of cell congestion more rapidly, and can reduce the processing complexity of the gateway device in the prior art.

The present invention provides a solution for determining a QoS policy and/or charging policy based on network resource utilization information in an LTE network. As compared to the current 3GPP policy and charging control architecture, the solution of the present invention determines a QoS policy and/or charging policy based on network resource utilization information in combination with existing input information, thereby making policy and charging control more flexible.

A method includes receiving a connection request from a mobile device at a network device to allow connection of the mobile device to a core network of the first service provider through a first base station and determining whether a backhaul connection between the core network of the first service provider and the first base station is congested by the network device. The backhaul connection is determined to be congested when L is greater than (DB)/T. When the first backhaul connection is determined to be congested, the method also includes preventing the first base station from connecting the mobile device to the core network.

In one embodiment, a method of serving media includes receiving a delivery log of traffic use after every first time interval for an user equipment. The user equipment is part of a hot billing class of users. The traffic use comprises data usage by the user equipment during communication with a media server in a layer2 access network. A user traffic information computed from the delivery log is transmitted to a billing center. A account status information is received from the billing center. The account status information is received if the user equipment exceeds a user account metric. A session termination information based on the account status information is transmitted.

A radio communication control device accepts a call-up from a radio communication terminal and includes a unit configured to detect the degree of jamming in a cell, a unit configured to confirm the intention of a user of a terminal concerned as to whether the call-up is continued regardless of addition of an extra to the user's telephone call charge when the call-up has been made from a radio communication terminal in the cell concerned in a specific jammed state, a unit configured to block the call-up concerned in accordance with the confirmed intention of the user of the terminal concerned and a unit configured to change charge setting so as to add an extra to the user's telephone call charge when the call-up has not been blocked in the specific jammed state.

In one embodiment, a method of serving media includes receiving a request to serve media content to an user equipment, and receiving caching information regarding the media content. The caching information includes information regarding whether the media content requested by the user equipment is cacheable. A first media server is assigned from a hierarchical set of media servers to serve the user equipment if the media content to be served is cacheable. The hierarchical set of media servers includes a plurality of first type of media servers deployed in a plurality of layer2 (L2) access networks. The user equipment is coupled to the content delivery network through a layer2 access network of the plurality of L2 access networks.