This paper studies a multidimensional quality of service and resource allocation (rate/power allocation) in a distributed data network where the users demand resources independently of each other. The users are allowed to request a multidimensional quality of service, consisting of a multiplicity of characteristics such as the amount of data, delay, reliability, speed and the quality of transmission (cf. [10]. The paper focuses on the modeling of the quality in the utility functions of the users making decisions on the optimal resource usage in a packet network subject to a pricing penalty.

A utility function is proposed that aggregates over the various quality of service characteristics. This generalizes recent work on distributed multiservice networks by allowing for the different service classes to be imperfect substitutes for one another from the user's point of view, i.e. allowing for the users to explicitly choose a multidimensional QoS consisting of a composite of several quality characteristics simultaneously.