System and method for delivery of data files using service provider networks

A method comprising:

• sending a third party file, made up of a plurality of file segments, from a sending system to a service provider network;
• sending the plurality of file segments from the service provider network to a receiving system that is a customer of the service provider network;
• determining an actual transfer rate at which a selected one of the plurality of file segments was sent from the sending system to the receiving system via the service provider network;
• and
• determining a wait period based in part on the actual transfer rate determined for the selected file segment transmission;
• wherein sending the plurality of file segments by the sending system comprises sending file segments by a plurality of transmissions spaced out in time with the determined wait period occurring after the transmission of each of the plurality of file segments to thereby avoid congestion in the service provider network.

A method comprising:

• sending a third party file, made up of a plurality of file segments, from a sending system to a plurality of service provider networks;
• sending the plurality of file segments from each of the plurality of service provider networks to a receiving system that is a customer of the respective service provider network;
• determining actual transfer rates at which a selected one of the plurality of file segments was sent from the sending system to each of the receiving systems via the respective service provider networks;
• and
• determining wait periods based in part on the actual transfer rates determined for the selected file segment transmission;
• wherein sending the plurality of file segments by the sending system comprises sending file segments by a plurality of transmissions spaced out in time with the determined wait periods occurring after the transmission of each of the plurality of file segments to thereby avoid congestion in the respective service provider networks.

A system for file distribution, comprising:

• a data storage element configured to store a data file for a third party;
• a network interface configured to communicate with a first network;
• a second network owned by a service provider, the second network being communicatively coupled to the first network;
• a receiving system coupled to the second network as a subscriber of the second network;
• and
• a sending system communicatively coupled to the data storage element and configured to send the data file to the receiving system, the data file being transmitted from the sending system to the receiving system via the first and second networks, as a plurality of file segments whose transmissions are separated by a wait period to thereby avoid congestion in the second network.