Method and apparatus for propagation delay determination

A method of updating a propagation delay counter associated with a communication transaction, the method comprising the steps of:

• determining a first propagation delay value associated with a bearer service being provided in association with the communication transaction;
• updating the propagation delay counter with the first propagation delay value;
• determining a type of information involved in the communication transaction;
• determining if supplementary peripheral equipment is being utilized in providing a bearer service in association with the communication transaction;
• determining a second propagation delay value for use of the supplementary peripheral equipment in association with the type of information involved in the communication transaction;
• and
• updating the propagation delay counter with the second propagation delay value.

A method of updating a propagation delay counter associated with a communication transaction, the method comprising the steps of:

• determining a first propagation delay value associated with a bearer service being provided in association with the communication transaction;
• updating the propagation delay counter with the first propagation delay value,
• determining a second propagation delay value associated with use of supplementary peripheral equipment in providing the bearer service in the communication transaction;
• and
• updating the propagation delay counter with the second propagation delay value, wherein the supplementary peripheral equipment is selected from the group comprising data compression devices and echo cancellation devices.

A method of selecting a circuit in a communication means involved in a communication transaction, the method comprising the steps of:

• determining a first propagation delay value associated with a bearer service being provided in association with the communication transaction;
• determining propagation delays associated with available circuits;
• and
• selecting a circuit having a propagation delay value, which circuit propagation delay value, when added to the first propagation delay value, results in a total propagation delay for the communication transaction which total propagation delay is less than a threshold, wherein avoidance of degradation of communications quality involves selecting a circuit having a relatively small propagation delay value when the sum propagation delay value is relatively large.

A method of selecting a circuit in a communication means involved in a communication transaction, the method comprising the steps of:

• determining a first propagation delay value associated with a bearer service being provided in association with the communication transaction;
• determining propagation delays associated with available circuits;
• and
• selecting a circuit having a propagation delay value, which circuit propagation delay value, when added to the first propagation delay value, results in a total propagation delay for the communication transaction which total propagation delay is less than a threshold, wherein avoidance of degradation of communications quality involves selecting a circuit having a relatively large propagation delay value when the sum propagation delay value is relatively small.

An apparatus for updating a propagation delay counter associated with a communication transaction, comprising:

• means for determining a first propagation delay value associated with a bearer service being provided in association with the communication transaction;
• means for updating the propagation delay counter with the first propagation delay value;
• means for determining a type of information involved in the communication transaction;
• means for determining a second propagation delay value associated with transmitting such information type;
• and
• means for updating the propagation delay counter with the second propagation delay value.

An apparatus for updating a propagation delay counter associated with a communication transaction, comprising:

• means for determining a first propagation delay value associated with a bearer service being provided in association with the communication transaction;
• means for updating the propagation delay counter with the first propagation delay value;
• means for determining if supplementary peripheral equipment is being utilized in association with the communication transaction;
• means for determining a second propagation delay value associated with utilizing such supplementary peripheral equipment in combination with the type of information involved in the communication transaction;
• and
• means for updating the propagation delay counter with the second propagation delay value.

An apparatus for updating a propagation delay counter associated with a communication transaction, comprising:

• means for determining a first propagation delay value associated with a bearer service being provided in association with the communication transaction;
• means for updating the propagation delay counter with the first propagation delay value;
• means for determining a second propagation delay value associated with supplementary peripheral equipment utilized in the communication transaction;
• and
• means for updating the propagation delay counter with the second propagation delay value, wherein the supplementary peripheral equipment is selected from the group comprising data compression devices and echo canceling devices.