Patent ID: 7228358

Claim:
A method for use in a system at a premises, the system having at least one terminal, a local area network including the at least one terminal, and coupled with units that terminate at least two communications links between the premises and a communications provider facility located off of the premises, the method comprising: a) accepting data on the local area network; b) determining whether the data accepted concerns establishing a connection or is part of an established connection; c) if it is determined that the data accepted concerns establishing a connection, then i) selecting, at the premises, only one of the at least two communications links based on a policy, wherein the selection is controlled such that selection of more than one of the at least two communications links may not occur, ii) assigning the selected one of the at least two communications links to a session to be associated with the data accepted, and iii) forwarding the data accepted to only the selected one of the at least two communications links and not to any non-selected ones of the at least two communications links; and d) if it is determined that the data accepted is part of an established connection, then forwarding the data accepted to the assigned communications link.