Abstract: A service provider enables a plurality of subscribers to gain access to a telecommunications network, such as the Internet. The service provider sets a bandwidth usage cap for the subscribers over a given usage period, such as a month. The usage cap is enforced by regulating the rate at which subscribers can send and receive data transmissions over an access network during the usage period. Those subscribers that send or receive data only occasionally will normally experience a transmission rate at or near the peak transmission rate offered by the service provider. However, those subscribers that attempt to send or receive excessive amounts of data will be throttled down to a lower sustained transmission rate, which will prevent them from exceeding the usage cap set by the service provider.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing access to configuration files even if a remote server containing configuration profile information is unavailable includes caching known configuration files locally, and using the known configuration files in the event of a remote server failure or overload.