Patent ID: 8761021

Claim:
A method comprising: in a network device of a first service provider, determining that a first backhaul connection, which serves a first base station, is congested and that a second backhaul connection, which serves a second base station, is not congested, the determining being made based on a first periodic data cap imposed on the first backhaul connection, a traffic load on the first backhaul connection, a second periodic data cap imposed on the second backhaul connection, and a traffic load on the second backhaul connection; in response to determining that the first backhaul connection is congested and the second backhaul connection is not congested, configuring a value of a cellular communication parameter utilized by one or both of the first base station and the second base station, the configuring the value of the cellular communication parameter comprising periodic adjustments of the value of the cellular communication parameter that causes one or more mobile devices to be repeatedly handed-over between the first base station and the second base station.