A method of operating a user equipment (UE) gateway through a transactive network is disclosed. The method includes sending a service request to one or more distributed units in the network, receiving a proposed contract from each of the one or more distributed units, deciding on a winning proposed contract, notifying a winning distributed unit associated with the winning proposed contract, and connecting to receive services through the winning distributed unit. A method of operating a distributed unit includes receiving a service request from a UE gateway, requesting service from a provider according to the service request, receiving a provisional contract from the provider, providing a proposal with the provisional contract to the service request to the UE gateway; and, if notified that the proposal is a winning proposal, arranging services to the UE gateway according to the proposal.