Patent ID: 8401559

Claim:
In a multi-tiered wireless communication system including a first wireless gateway having a first operating power within a first tier of the multi-tiered wireless communication system, a second wireless gateway having a second operating power within a second tier of the multi-tiered wireless communication system, the first and second tiers being at least partially overlapped geographically, the second wireless gateway having significantly greater operating power than the first wireless gateway, a multi-modal access device operable to communicate with both the first and second wireless gateways, wherein the multi-modal access device communicates with the first wireless gateway using a first protocol and communicates with the second wireless gateway using a second protocol that is different than the first protocol, and a system traffic controller, a method comprising the steps of: (a) detecting that a user of the multi-modal access device seeks access to the wireless communication system; and (b) in response to step (a) issuing control commands to either the first wireless gateway or the second wireless gateway to set up a communication link between the multi-modal access device and one of the wireless gateways selected by the system traffic controller depending on a cost or quality of service desired by the user.