Abstract: A unique method and apparatus for a dynamic rate, differential class-based quality of service agent for a communication network that provides a quality of service guarantee by taking into account the existing state of the network and user-defined classes of service is provided. A flexible quality of service agent, separate from the control plane which contains call processing and network management, is provided which optimizes network performance by minimizing the amount of information transmitted over the network to set-up a call and media negotiation, implements admission control to maintain the quality of the ongoing calls and administers the system wide quality of service by providing instantaneous feedback on the current state of the system/network at both the transmitting and receiving end.

Abstract: In a telemarketing system in which responsive to system prompts a user selects a particular path through the system to peach a desired service offering, the present invention "learns" the path that the user repeatedly selects over a period of time and thereafter gives the user the option of advancing to the end point of that path without the user having to listen and respond to the system prompts.