Patent ID: 8619820

Claim:
A system for routing data packets, the system comprising: a database configured to store network usage information of a packet network managed by a communications carrier, the database configured to store network usage information of the packet network by subscribers of another communications carrier communicating via the packet network, the network usage information distinguishing network usage derived from data packets including real-time content and non-real-time content communicated over the packet network; and a processing unit configured to execute instructions to determine pricing information for communicating the data packets via a plurality of networks, wherein each network is associated with a different communications carrier, and select one of the plurality of networks for routing the data packets based on cost, wherein the cost includes a first price for communicating real-time data packets that include real-time content and a second cost for communicating non-real-time data packets that do not include real-time content; and wherein the processing unit is further configured to execute instructions to communicate the real-time data packets over one of the plurality of networks having a lowest cost for communicating real-time data packets, and communicate the non-real-time data packets over one of the plurality of networks having a lowest price for communicating non-real-time data packets.