A method and an apparatus for adaptively allocating available bandwidth for network users. The method is particularly beneficial in improving a viewing experience for mobile devices accessing the network, while also maximizing the number of supported users within the network. An adaptively adjusted control parameter is used in conjunction with a utility function to assign a provisional rate for users entering the network. Based on the assigned provisional rate, the method then admits prospective new network users, if enough free capacity exists to service the new user at the provisional rate.