A method comprising: requesting bandwidth assistance from one or more cells operating in a network; in response to at least one of demand price information and headroom information provided by a plurality of cells from which bandwidth assistance has been requested, identifying a set of potential helper cells and placing the potential helper cells in order by rank, wherein the demand price information represents how much of the helper cell's spare bandwidth space is used and wherein the headroom information comprises a difference between a bandwidth limit and a requested bandwidth; selecting one or more helper cells from the ordered set and assembling a set of helper cells based on bandwidth performance assistance criteria; determining whether the set of helper cells is suitable for use, wherein determining whether the set of helper cells is suitable for use comprises, following assembling of the set of helper cells: further requesting bandwidth assistance from the set of helper cells; in response to at least one of new demand price information and new headroom information obtained from the set of helper cells from which bandwidth assistance has further been requested, determine if sufficient iterations of said determining have been performed; if sufficient iterations have not been performed, returning to the step of requesting bandwidth assistance from one or more cells operating in a network; and if sufficient iterations have been performed, it is determined that the set of helper cells is suitable for use; and in response to a determination that the set of helper cells is suitable for use, proceeding to operate while receiving bandwidth assistance from the set of helper cells. requesting bandwidth assistance from one or more cells operating in a network; in response to at least one of demand price information and headroom information provided by a plurality of cells from which bandwidth assistance has been requested, identifying a set of potential helper cells and placing the potential helper cells in order by rank, wherein the demand price information represents how much of the helper cell's spare bandwidth space is used and wherein the headroom information comprises a difference between a bandwidth limit and a requested bandwidth; selecting one or more helper cells from the ordered set and assembling a set of helper cells based on bandwidth performance assistance criteria; determining whether the set of helper cells is suitable for use, wherein determining whether the set of helper cells is suitable for use comprises, following assembling of the set of helper cells: further requesting bandwidth assistance from the set of helper cells; in response to at least one of new demand price information and new headroom information obtained from the set of helper cells from which bandwidth assistance has further been requested, determine if sufficient iterations of said determining have been performed; if sufficient iterations have not been performed, returning to the step of requesting bandwidth assistance from one or more cells operating in a network; and if sufficient iterations have been performed, it is determined that the set of helper cells is suitable for use; and in response to a determination that the set of helper cells is suitable for use, proceeding to operate while receiving bandwidth assistance from the set of helper cells. further requesting bandwidth assistance from the set of helper cells; in response to at least one of new demand price information and new headroom information obtained from the set of helper cells from which bandwidth assistance has further been requested, determine if sufficient iterations of said determining have been performed; if sufficient iterations have not been performed, returning to the step of requesting bandwidth assistance from one or more cells operating in a network; and if sufficient iterations have been performed, it is determined that the set of helper cells is suitable for use; and in response to a determination that the set of helper cells is suitable for use, proceeding to operate while receiving bandwidth assistance from the set of helper cells.