A first communications device communicates with a second communications device by means of a communications network. The first communications device receives information from the communications network, wherein the information comprises a network load value and a mean delay time value. The first communications device ascertains whether the network load value satisfies a predetermined relationship with respect to a threshold load value and if the predetermined relationship is satisfied then it communicates a data packet over the network at a designated time that is ascertained by ascertaining one of a number of different wait time values, wherein the ascertained wait time value has a mathematical expectation equal to the mean delay time value. The first communication device then waits an amount of time corresponding to the ascertained wait time, without attempting to communicate the data packet over the communications network during the time in which the first communications device is waiting.