%0 Journal Article %J Internet Research: Electronic Networking, Applications and Policy, Emerald, Volume 14, Number 2 %D 2004 %T Pricing QoS over transport networks %A Christos Bouras %A Afroditi Sevasti %X In recent years, a number of alternatives for service differentiation and QoS provision have been proposed and standardized in communication networks. In the case of backbone networks the DiffServ architecture has prevailed, due to its scalability and deployment feasibility. The provisioning of differentiated services has raised the requirements for interdependent controlled resource allocation and service pricing, with particular needs for pricing mechanisms that preserve the potential and flexibility of the DiffServ framework. At the same time, such mechanisms should reflect resource usage, allocate resources efficiently, reimburse costs or maximize service provision profits and lead customers to requesting services that will maximize their revenue. Presents the key issues involved in the area of pricing DiffServ-based services and the research work carried out in this field, while at the same time outlining the basic principles that such a pricing infrastructure should obey with respect to the particularities that apply to the case of DiffServ services provision. %B Internet Research: Electronic Networking, Applications and Policy, Emerald, Volume 14, Number 2 %P 167 - 174 %G eng