There is provided a method and apparatus to generate temporal congestion signals. The method is used by a device and includes receiving a packet which includes a request for network state information and generating one or more temporal congestion signals. The method also including adding the temporal congestion signals to the packet and transmitting the packet including the temporal congestion signals. The temporal congestion signals can include one or more of a line busyness signal, which measures the duration of a busy period of the device, and a line idleness signal, which measures the duration of an idle period of the device.