Patent ID: 8811187

Claim:
A method implemented by a mobile device, the method comprising: monitoring, by the mobile device, availability of a plurality of access networks that provide connectivity for the mobile device to a network, the plurality of access networks including a WiFi network and a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network; storing, by the mobile device, preference information, on a per-application basis, the preference information defining, for each of a plurality of applications executed by the mobile device, at least one preferred access network of the plurality of access networks, where the preference information includes quality of service (QoS) information for the plurality of applications, and where the QoS information includes a QoS index that specifies, as a single value, a QoS level required by at least some of the plurality of applications; monitoring, by the mobile device, QoS information associated with each of the plurality of access networks; selecting, by the mobile device and in response to a request, from a particular application, of the plurality of applications, to connect to the network, one of the plurality of access networks, based on the preference information for the particular one of the plurality of applications; and providing, by the mobile device, a communication channel for the particular one of the plurality of applications using the selected access network.