System and Method for Distributing Content via a Shared Network

摘要

Bandwidth use between an access provider system ( 14 ) and a user computer ( 10 ) is adapted to an amount of subscription quotum that has been used by a subscriber. Quotum use information is representative of an amount of data that has been exchanged between the user computer ( 10 ) and an access provider system ( 14 ) since a predetermined time point. A request is received for retrieving media information from the network ( 16 ) and for rendering that media information at the user computer ( 10 ). In response to the request a selection is made between a plurality of versions of the requested media information, dependent on the quotum use information. Different versions require respective different data rates for transmission from the access provider system ( 14 ) to the user computer ( 10 ). The more quotum has been used, the lower the data rate of the selected version.