Patent ID: 8315275

Claim:
A method comprising: initiating reserving, by a computer-based system for voice over internet protocol (“VoIP”) communication, a predetermined portion of available bandwidth as a real-time bandwidth pool over a path through a network between a first media aggregation manager and a second media aggregation manager for real-time communication sessions between a first set of local applications and a second set of local applications, wherein the first media aggregation manager is at an edge of a first local area network on which a first set of terminals of a first user community reside, wherein the first set of terminals run the first set of local applications on behalf of which the first media aggregation manager is configured to act as a signaling and control proxy, wherein the second media aggregation manager is at an edge of a second local area network on which a second set of terminals of a second user community reside, and wherein the second set of terminals run the second set of local applications on behalf of which the second media aggregation manager is configured to act as a signaling and control proxy; sharing, by the computer-based system, the real-time bandwidth pool among a plurality of real-time communication sessions by selectively admitting application sessions based upon currently available resources in the real-time bandwidth pool; and securely communicating, by the computer-based system, between the first user community and the second user community by selectively encrypting information associated with the plurality of real-time communication sessions.