This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for timely forwarding, discarding, and delivering data packets over the network and to their destination nodes and the optimization of data transfer throughput through the network. The timely forwarding and discarding are possible thanks to the standard global common time reference (CTR) that is known as UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). UTC is available from GPS (Global Positioning System), Galileo, and GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System). Data transfer throughput optimization is pursued by taking advantage of the timely forwarding and discarding properties to improve the data packets transfer flow control mechanisms, such as the sliding window re-sizing algorithm implemented by the widely deployed Transmission Control Protocol (TCP).