Managing alternative networks for high quality of service communications

A method for managing alternative networks comprising:

• providing a first data packet to a first interface, the first data packet including a first address and being received from a computing device, the computing device being at a premises and coupled to a third interface, the first interface coupled to a first broadband connection received at the premises, the first broadband connection being coupled to a service outside the premises using a first data network;
• determining at least one second data packet to be received at the first interface from the service is lost or delayed;
• supplying a second address to the computing device for communications with the service, in response to the determining;
• receiving from the computing device a third data packet including the second address;
• modifying the third data packet including replacing the second address with the first address;
• giving the modified third data packet to a second interface, the second interface coupled to a second broadband connection received at the premises, the second broadband connection being coupled to the service outside the premises using a second data network and being different from the first broadband connection;
• determining a quality of service provided by the first data network, the determining including:
• measuring at least one of a data rate and a number of lost packets over the first data network, and
• comparing the measurements to at least one of a predetermined data rate and predetermined number of lost packets;
• supplying the first address to the computing device for communications with the service, in response to the determining the quality of service;
• receiving from the computing device a fourth data packet including the first address;
• and
• giving the fourth data packet to the first interface.

A system for managing alternative networks comprising:

• a first interface coupled to a first broadband connection received at a premises, the first broadband connection being coupled to a service outside the premises using a first data network;
• a second interface coupled to a second broadband connection received at the premises, the second broadband connection being coupled to the service outside the premises using a second data network and being different from the first broadband connection;
• a third interface coupled to a computing device at the premises;
• a processor coupled to the first, second, and third interfaces;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to perform a method comprising:
• providing a first data packet to the first interface, the first data packet including a first address and being received from the computing device;
• determining at least one second data packet to be received at the first interface from the service is lost or delayed;
• supplying to the service a second address associated with the second data network in response to the determining, the second address for sending by the service redundant information;
• receiving from the service at least a third data packet using the first interface and redundant information associated with the at least third data packet using the second interface;
• receiving from the service redundant information associated with a fourth data packet using the second interface;
• reconstructing the fourth data packet using the redundant information;
• forwarding the at least third data packet to the third interface;
• giving the reconstructed fourth data packet to the third interface;
• determining a quality of service provided by the first data network, the determining including:
• measuring at least one of a data rate and a number of lost packets over the first data network, and
• comparing the measurements to at least one of a predetermined data rate and predetermined number of lost packets;
• supplying the first address to the computing device for communications with the service, in response to the determining the quality of service;
• receiving from the computing device the fourth data packet including the first address;
• and
• giving the fourth data packet to the first interface.

A method for managing alternative networks comprising:

• providing a first data packet to a first interface, the first data packet including a first address and being received from a computing device, the computing device being at a premises and coupled to a third interface, the first interface coupled to a first broadband connection received at the premises, the first broadband connection being coupled to a service outside the premises using a first data network;
• determining at least one second data packet to be received at the first interface from the service is lost or delayed;
• supplying to the service a second address in response to the determining, the second address associated with a second data network, the second data network being associated with a second broadband connection, the second broadband connection being received at the premises and coupled to a second interface;
• receiving from the service at least a third data packet using the first interface and redundant information associated with the at least third data packet using the second interface;
• receiving from the service redundant information associated with a fourth data packet using the second interface;
• reconstructing the fourth data packet using the redundant information;
• forwarding the third data packet to the third interface;
• giving the reconstructed fourth data packet to the third interface;
• determining a quality of service provided by the first data network, the determining including:
• measuring at least one of a data rate and a number of lost packets over the first data network, and
• comparing the measurements to at least one of a predetermined data rate and predetermined number of lost packets;
• supplying the first address to the computing device for communications with the service, in response to the determining the quality of service;
• receiving from the computing device the fourth data packet including the first address;
• and
• giving the fourth data packet to the first interface.