Method of operating a network using differentiated pricing and a network configured to operate using differentiated pricing

1. A method of operating a network, the method comprising:

receiving a measurement of total traffic intensity;

receiving an expected quality of service associated with a packet;

determining a traffic intensity associated with respective ones of two or more priority queues and a delay metric associated with the respective ones of the two or more priority queues based on the measurement of total traffic intensity, the two or more priority queues having different delay metrics associated therewith;

assigning the packet to one of the two or more priority queues based on the expected quality of service and the determined traffic intensity associated with the respective ones of the two or more priority queues; and

determining a price of service for the packet based on the determined delay metric associated with the one of the two or more priority queues assigned to the packet.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

switching the packet to the one of the two or more priority queues by a switch.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

measuring the total traffic intensity,

wherein the receiving receives the measured total traffic intensity.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the expected quality of service includes a requested priority from a user, the requested priority being one of two or more priority levels from which the user selects.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the receiving the expected quality of service associated with the packet further comprises:

receiving an expected quality of service associated with a mobile terminal;

receiving the packet from the mobile terminal; and

associating the packet with the expected quality of service associated with the mobile terminal.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the delay metric is an average delay and the determining the price determines the average delay based on an average service time and an average waiting time.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the delay metric is a P-th percentile delay and the determining the price determines the P-th percentile delay based on a probability approximation including a waiting time for the one of two or more priority queues, a number of components of a probability mass function (PMF) associated with a service time, and a resolution of the PMF associated with the service time.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the delay metric is a truncated average delay approximation and the determining the price determines the truncated average delay approximation based on a waiting time for the one of two or more priority queues and a delay for the non-prioritized system.

9. A network, the network comprising:

a queue controller configured to,

receive a measurement of total traffic intensity,

receive an expected quality of service associated with a packet,

determine a traffic intensity associated with respective ones of two or more priority queues and a delay metric associated with the respective ones of the two or more priority queues based on the measurement of total traffic intensity, the two or more priority queues having different delay metrics associated therewith,

assign the packet to one of the two or more priority queues based on the expected quality of service and the determined traffic intensity associated with the respective ones of the two or more priority queues, and

determine a price of service for the packet based on the determined delay metric associated with the one of two or more priority queues assigned to the packet.

10. The network of claim 9 , further comprising:

a switch configured to switch the packet to the one of two or more priority queues.

11. The network of claim 9 , further comprising:

a traffic intensity measurement device configured to measure the total traffic intensity and to transmit the total traffic intensity to the queue controller.

12. The network of claim 9 , wherein the expected quality of service includes a requested priority from a user, the requested priority being one of two or more priority levels from which the user selects.

13. The network of claim 12 , wherein the queue controller is further configured to receive an expected quality of service associated with a mobile terminal, to receive the packet from the mobile terminal and to associate the packet with the expected quality of service associated with the mobile terminal.

14. The network of claim 9 , wherein the delay metric is an average delay and the queue controller is configured to determine the average delay based on an average service time and an average waiting time.

15. The network of claim 9 , wherein the delay metric is a P-th percentile delay and the queue controller is configured to determine the P-th percentile delay based on a probability approximation including a waiting time for the one of two or more priority queues, a number of components of a probability mass function (PMF) associated with a service time, and a resolution of the PMF associated with the service time.

16. The network of claim 9 , wherein the delay metric is a truncated average delay approximation and the queue controller is configured to determine the truncated average delay approximation based on a waiting time for the one of two or more priority queues and a delay for the non-prioritized system.