Abstract: Predicting the quality of a communication carried via a distributed computer network, such as the global Internet, before the initiation of that communication between a pair of endpoints. A prediction system comprises software-implemented processes that can be implemented within an Internet gateway or in an external system that provides prediction results to an Internet gateway. A first process accepts historical data and current environment data and, in response, generates a prediction of objective performance characteristics. A second process accepts the objective performance characteristics and, in response, generates an estimate of the expected quality of communications with an end user. This user quality estimate can be used to support a determination of whether to proceed with the communication or to rely upon an alternative to computer-network supported communications.