System, method and apparatus for filtering subscriber network traffic

1. A computer implemented method of managing network utilization in a network where a plurality of subscribers using a plurality of subscriber terminals access a set of shared network resources, comprising:

computing a metric indicative of an amount of a subscriber's utilization of the shared network resources for at least first and second sets of capabilities; and

filtering, using the shared network resources, network traffic between the shared network resources and the subscriber's terminal to allow use of the shared network resources only for the first set of capabilities based at least in part on the computed metric meeting a first criteria, without limiting at least one of the subscriber's data download speed or the subscriber's data upload speed when the computed metric meets the first criteria.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising limiting one or both of the subscriber's data download speed or data upload speed based at least in part on the computed metric meeting a second criteria, wherein the first criteria is indicative of a lower subscriber utilization than the second criteria.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of capabilities comprises an ability to use at least one selected from email applications, web browsing applications, social networking applications, instant messaging applications, and voice over IP applications.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of capabilities does not comprise an ability to use at least one of real-time entertainment applications, streaming applications, peer to peer sharing applications, file sharing applications, photo and video sharing applications, video calling applications, and file transfer applications.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the subscriber's data download speed is limited to a speed less than a predefined percentage of a full data download speed.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the subscriber's data upload speed is limited to a speed less than a predefined percentage of a full data upload speed.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first criteria includes an amount of network data traffic of N bits in a window of time T.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising increasing the amount of usage indicated by the first criteria in response to a change in subscriber's network service plan.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising resetting one or more counters, wherein the computed metric is based, at least in part, on the one or more counters.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein T is less than 30 days.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of capabilities comprises an ability to access network content in a first category set and does not include an ability to access network content in a second category set.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of capabilities comprises an ability to access a category of content from a first set of network applications, but does not comprise an ability to access the category of content from a second set of network applications.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shared network resources comprise one or more firewalls and one or more network routing devices, and filtering network traffic between the shared network resources and the subscriber's terminal comprises filtering the network traffic using the one or more firewalls.

14. A system of shared network resources that manage a plurality of subscriber's access using a plurality of subscriber terminals to the shared network resources, comprising:

means for computing a metric indicative of an amount of a subscriber's utilization of the shared network resources for at least first and second sets of capabilities; and

shared network resource means for filtering the subscriber's access between the shared network resources and the subscriber's terminal to allow use of the shared network resources only for the first set of capabilities based at least in part on the computed metric meeting a criteria, without limiting at least one of the subscriber's data download speed or the subscriber's data upload speed when the computed metric meets the criteria.

15. A system for managing network utilization in a network where a plurality of subscribers to a data communication service access a set of shared network electronic hardware resources using a plurality of subscriber terminals, comprising:

at least a portion of the set of shared network resources;

an application running on the at least a portion of the set of shared network electronic hardware resources, and configured to:

compute a metric indicative of an amount of a subscriber's utilization of the shared network electronic hardware resources for at least first and second sets of capabilities; and

filter the subscriber's access of the shared network resources to allow use of the shared network electronic hardware resources only for the first set of capabilities based at least in part on the computed metric meeting a criteria, without limiting at least one of a subscriber's data download speed or a subscriber's data upload speed when the computed metric meets the criteria.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the network is a satellite network.

17. The system of claim 15 , further comprising an uplink transmitter that transmits data from the subscriber terminal.

18. The system of claim 15 further comprising a downlink receiver that receives data sent to the subscriber terminal.