Patent ID: 8787161

Claim:
A method, comprising: facilitating, by a system comprising a processor, establishment of a data path through a data network between a routing gateway and service provider equipment to provide subscriber equipment a data service during a data session; receiving, by the system, a request from the service provider equipment, the request being descriptive of a data flow characteristic for the data path between the routing gateway and the service provider equipment, wherein the data flow characteristic comprises an allowed bandwidth for the data path during the data session or a prioritization of a plurality of data services provided by the service provider equipment during the data session; creating, by the system, a policy for enforcement of the data flow characteristic for the data path between the routing gateway and the service provider equipment responsive to receiving the request from the service provider equipment; and transmitting, by the system, information associated with the policy to a network element along the data path between the routing gateway and the service provider equipment of the data network.