Abstract: Network efficiency is improved by building and maintaining path integrity tables in nodes of a network. The tables include path integrity information for paths associated with the nodes. A path is defined by a source address, a destination address and a port or version number. Once a node is made aware of a path, either by handling network message traffic associated with the path or through manual entry, the node maintains path status information with information provided by normal network message traffic, or absent the normal network message traffic, by transmitting Echo Request messages and processing information related to Echo Response messages or the lack thereof. Information related to paths that are disabled for longer than a disabled path duration limit is deleted from the tables. A Gratuitous GTP Echo Response message can notify other nodes of an administrative state change in a node.

Abstract: Logic for responding to a Maximum Bitrate request includes comparing the requesting Maximum Bitrate and a Maximum Bitrate limit to Supported Maximum Bitrates. If the Maximum Bitrate limit is not at least as high as a lowest Supported Maximum Bitrate, communications services associated with the requested Maximum Bitrate are not provided. If the Maximum Bitrate limit is at least as high as the lowest Supported Maximum Bitrate, an Offered Bitrate is selected from a set of Supported Maximum Bitrates that is at least as high as the requested Maximum Bitrate and no higher than the Maximum Bitrate limit as long as such a Supported Maximum Bitrate exists. If such a Supported Maximum Bitrate does not exist, the Offered Bitrate is selected to be a highest available Supported Maximum Bitrate that is not higher than the Maximum Bitrate Limit.