Patent ID: 7051106

Claim:
A method for making a data call from a host to a destination over a network, comprising the steps of: determining a period of time required to transmit a user's stored data file of predetermined size from the host using the data call over the network; sending a setup message including a holding time of said data call from the host to a switch connected to said network, where the holding time is the period of time needed to transfer the data file using the data call over the network, the holding time determined prior to the sending of the setup message; responsive to said setup message, determining at said switch if a channel is available from a plurality of channels and when said channel is available for making said data call from said host to said destination; responsive to said channel being available, said switch sending a success message to said host identifying said available channel and a start time for making said data call, the start time being a time at which the transfer of data file will begin; sending another setup message including the available channel and the available time to a terminating switch connected to said destination; determining from said another setup message and local information at said terminating switch if a channel is available through said terminating switch and what times are available to make said data call; and if a channel is available for said holding time of said data call through said switch and said terminating switch, sending a success message identifying the available channel and the available time to make said data call, where the available time is a time at which the transfer of the data file will begin.