Directing Wireless Customers to a Network Service Using an Incentive

A method, comprising:

• determining, by the system, in a first determination, that a particular load characteristic for a network exists;
• offering, by the system, in response to the first determination, and to only the customers of a higher tier of multiple tiers, an incentive, involving a discount for use of a service via the network, in advance of offering the incentive to customers of a lower tier of the multiple tiers in connection with the particular load characteristic;
• determining, by the system, that a time having elapsed since offering the incentive to only the customers of the higher tier has reached a predetermined amount of time;
• determining, by the system, in a second determination, subsequent to offering the incentive only to the customers of the higher tier, whether a sufficient number of the customers of the higher tier have, within the predetermined amount of time, accepted the incentive offered in connection with the particular load characteristic;
• and
• offering, by the system, only in response to the first determination and a negative result in the second determination, the incentive to the customers of the lower tier in connection with the particular load characteristic.

A computer-readable storage device having stored therein computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

• determining, in a first determination, that a load characteristic for a network exists;
• offering, in response to the first determination, and to only the customers of a higher tier of multiple tiers, an incentive, involving a discount for use of a service via the network, in advance of offering the incentive to customers of a lower tier of the multiple tiers in connection with the load characteristic;
• determining that a time having elapsed since offering the incentive to only the customers of the higher tier has reached a predetermined amount of time;
• determining, in a second determination, subsequent to offering the incentive only to the customers of the higher tier, whether a sufficient number of the customers of the higher tier have, within the predetermined amount of time, accepted the incentive offered in connection with the load characteristic;
• and
• offering, only in response to the first determination and a negative result in the second determination, the incentive to the customers of the lower tier in connection with the load characteristic.