Abstract: An overload control mechanism in a packet-based network includes computing thresholds for respective classes of traffic so that packets of a given class are discarded when the number of buffered packets for that class exceeds the associated threshold.

Abstract: A telecommunications method and system for providing and monitoring multiple classes of service to users seeking dial-up access to a given resource. Incoming calls from two user groups, one group subscribing to a first service level and the other group subscribing to a second service level, are initially assigned to open circuits in a first shared dial hunt group. When all circuits are busy, only calls from users subscribing to the second service level are routed to open circuits in a second dedicated dial hunt group so that second level service subscribers will have fewer calls blocked than first level service subscribers. In an alternative implementation, calls from users subscribing to a first service level are routed only to open circuits in a first dial hunt group and calls from users subscribing to a second service level are routed initially to open circuits in a second dial hunt group.