Patent ID: 8812681

Claim:
A method implemented in a communication network, comprising: receiving, via a mobile service provider of the communication network, communication traffic from a mobile device, wherein a first network address and a second network address are associated with the mobile device, wherein the communication traffic includes communication traffic of a first application associated with the first network address and a second application associated with the second network address; determining, via the mobile service provider, that the second application tethers the mobile device and an additional mobile device such that Internet access is provided, via the mobile device, to the additional mobile device; determining, via the mobile service provider, that the second application is not associated with a service subscription and the first application is associated with the service subscription; and in response to the determining, adjusting, via the mobile service provider, an existing quality of service to the mobile device on an application-by-application basis, including assigning a first quality of service to the first application and assigning a second quality of service to the second application based at least in part on the first network address and the second network address.