There is provided a method for allocating network rates to a plurality of mobile terminals through which users access possibly different applications through a network having a certain limited total bandwidth to allocate. The method comprises an optimization operation which uses a quality utility function as input which indicates for a certain application the quality perceived by a user depending on the allocated data rate, preferably further also depending on the channel condition. Then there is performed an optimizing operation such that it calculates a combined quality measure based on the quality utility functions for the different applications and for different possible resource allocations to the plurality of applications in such a way that said quality measure is optimized.