Optimizing network channel loading

A bandwidth management computing device in a first network, the bandwidth management computing device including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions such that the processor is programmed to:

• receive first data indicating a respective loading of each of two or more first level access devices at a time;
• determine, based on the first data, an average loading over all of the two or more first level access devices at the time;
• identify, based in part on the average loading over all of the two or more first level access devices at the time, a first threshold;
• determine that a loading of a first first level access device is greater than the first threshold at the time;
• and
• based on the determination that the loading of the first first level device is greater than the first threshold, instruct a first terminal device associated with the first first level device to switch from the first first level access device to a second first level access device;
• wherein each of the first level access devices is switchable to communicate with the first terminal via at least a respective one of one or more shared access channels;
• and
• further wherein each of the second level access devices is switchable to communicatively couple one or more of the two or more first level access devices with a second network.

A first second level access device in a first network, the first second level access device including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions such that the processor is programmed to:

• receive first data indicating an activity level of each of one or more terminal devices for a time period;
• identify, a target data rate threshold;
• determine, based on the first data, that the activity level of a first terminal device of the one more terminal devices is greater than the target data rate threshold for the time period;
• and
• based on the determination that the activity level of the first terminal device is greater than the target data rate threshold for the time period, instruct the first terminal device to switch from a first first level access device to a second first level access device;
• wherein each of two or more first level access devices is switchable to communicate with the first terminal via at least a respective one of one or more shared access channels;
• and
• further wherein each of one or more second level access devices is switchable to communicatively couple one or more of the two or more first level access devices with a second network.