Patent ID: 8553861

Claim:
One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media with computer-readable instructions embodied thereon, that when executed by a computing device, perform a method of using vendor credits to achieve load balancing in a communications network, the method comprising: monitoring incoming network traffic operating under a first carrier of the communications network, wherein the first carrier operates at a first spectrum; establishing initial load balancing triggers by which to offload network traffic of the first carrier to a second carrier, wherein the second carrier operates at a second spectrum; determining, via the processor, whether the initial load balancing triggers have been met; reducing the initial load balancing triggers when the initial triggers are not met; determining, via the processor, whether a vendor credit of the first carrier is available when either the initial load balancing triggers or the reduced initial load balancing triggers have been met; identifying one or more devices of the first carrier that are configured to communicate over either the first spectrum or the second spectrum; and offloading the identified one or more devices of the first carrier to the second carrier when the vendor credit of the first carrier is available.