Patent ID: 7664038

Claim:
A method for calculating a cost index in a communication network, comprising: obtaining a plurality of first cost factors associated with a first set of network elements; obtaining a plurality of second cost factors associated with a second set of network elements; determining a first cost index based on said plurality of first cost factors associated with said first set of network elements; determining, via a processor, a second cost index based on said plurality of second cost factors associated with said second set of network elements, wherein said first and second cost indexes are determined by: Cost Index=[(1/MTBF)*(DC+IC)+OC+MC]/(CN) where MTBF represents a mean time between failures, DC represents a deployment cost, IC represents an installation cost, OC represents a maintenance cost, MC represents a maintenance cost and CN represents a network usage indicator; and comparing said first cost index to said second cost index to determine a point in time when a service provider should minimize new investment in said first set of network elements.