Method of providing service classes in a packet network

摘要

A method of operating a packet network to provide selectable levels of service to different communications flows is disclosed. The method provides a network user with more flexibility in assigning a level of service to a given flow than conventional Asynchronous Transfer Mode networks. Furthermore, it provides a better differentiation between different qualities of service than is enabled by recent proposals for Internet Protocol networks. By identifying packets belonging to flows requiring a relatively high level of service, and, in response, allowing those packets access to capacity which is otherwise withheld, a relatively high level of service can be provided to streams of such packets. The invention is especially useful in relation to providing selected flows along residential high-speed Internet access lines (e.g. ADSL) with a higher level of capacity than other flows. The withheld capacity can comprise capacity which is normally hidden from the end-user by network configuration. The sender and/or receiver of a flow can be charged for the high level of service provided to that flow.