Device-assisted services for protecting network capacity

A wireless end-user device comprising:

• at least one wireless modem;
• a plurality of end-user applications;
• a processor;
• a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions to:
• assign one of a plurality of classifications to each of the plurality of end-user applications to allow for a differential network access control of the plurality of end-user applications, the plurality of classifications including a background classification and a foreground classification, the differential network access control including a plurality of service usage control policies applicable when a network service is available via the at least one wireless modem, the plurality of service usage control policies including a first policy that allows data associated with a first end-user application of the plurality of end-user applications to be communicated via the at least one wireless modem, and a second policy that defers the data associated with the first end-user application to be communicated via the at least one wireless modem until a state change occurs;
• dynamically select from the plurality of service usage control policies based on whether the background classification or the foreground classification is assigned to the first end-user application;
• and
• manage network data access via the at least one wireless modem for the first end-user application according to the dynamically selected service usage control policy being one of the first policy or the second policy.