Abstract: An Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)-based communication system comprising multiple access networks, wherein each access network of the multiple access networks implements a different transport protocol than the other access networks of the multiple access networks, includes an application plane Quality of Service (QoS) policy server that, with the support of a Quality of Service (QoS) Agent, coordinates and manages QoS policies across the multiple transport networks, thereby providing for centrally consistently managed QoS policies, which policy management is transport control plane and network topology agnostic.

Abstract: A communication system is provided that ensures that a rich variety and complexity of network offerings may be experienced by users without overloading terminals and clients by offering user-centric network services. When a user device first registers with a network, the user device notifies the network of its client capabilities, such as video, VoIP, presence, and so on. Based on the client capabilities and further based on any user preferences, the network then announces, that is, offers to the user, a list of available services for the user to choose from. Network services and applications then may be downloaded and used only when the services and applications are needed or desired by users, thereby allowing a thin middleware layer and network customization.