Embodiments provide systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products for selecting codec parameters to satisfy one or more operating constraints. An example method performed by a network component that facilitates a communication session set-up process among endpoints in a communication network, the method includes: during the communication session set-up process, determining a utilization factor of the network component; selecting a value for sampling frequency associated with a first codec in response to determining the utilization factor; negotiating use of the first codec and the value for sampling frequency with a first endpoint and negotiating use of a second codec with a second endpoint; and transcoding a media stream of a communication session between the first endpoint and the second endpoint according to the first codec and the value for sampling frequency and the second codec.