Patent ID: 7652990

Claim:
A method of operating an access network adapted to receive requests for the establishment of connections from invoked user applications of an access terminal to servers of said access network, invoking one of said user applications, identifying a product key of said one invoked user application, wherein said invoked user application is a preferred category or a non-preferred category, and wherein said user applications are adapted to request establishment of access network connections at specified QoS levels, said access network contains preferred and non-preferred servers, said method comprises the steps of: verifying said access terminal using a secret key not known to a user of said access terminal; said secret key is received by said access terminal from said access network and stored in said access terminal; protecting said access terminal with said secret key to prevent the serving of unauthorized user applications of said access terminal; receiving a message from said access terminal requesting the use of a QoS level for the establishment of a connection by said access network from said access terminal; determining the QoS level to be granted to an invoked user application based upon said product key and said stored secret key; granting the use of a determined QoS level for the establishment of said connection; receiving indicia characterizing a server to which said access network connection is to be established; establishing said access network connection using said granted QoS level when permitted by the present level of access network traffic; and establishing said access network connection at a lower QoS level if the present level of network traffic cannot accommodate said requested QoS level.