A method and apparatus for sorting, prioritizing, identifying, managing, and otherwise controlling (collectively, "controlling") a communication. A frank may be used to associate a value and a class with a communication. The communication may be associated with the frank through the method of selecting a frank associated with a value from among a plurality of frank types, each of the frank types having a pre-assigned value, associating the frank with the communication, and initiating transmission of the franked communication across a network. Value may include anything important of having meaning to the parties, including, for example, money, credit (or a promise to pay), frequent flier miles, and so forth. "Franking" a communication generally associates some indicia of value and/or a service class with a communication.