A computer implemented system is provided for improving performance of transmission in real-time or near real-time applications from at least one transmitter unit to at least one receiver unit. The system includes an intelligent data connection manager utility that generates or accesses performance data for two or more data connections associated with the two or more communication networks, and based on the current performance data determining current network transmission characteristics associated the two or more data connections, and bonds the two or more data connections based on: a predetermined system latency requirement; and dynamically allocating different functions associated with data transmission between the two or more data connections based on their respective current network transmission characteristics. The data connection manager utility then manages dynamically the transmission of relatively large data sets across the two or more bonded or aggregated data connections in a way that meets the system latency requirement and improves performance in regards to other network performance criteria (including data transfer rate, errors, and/or packet loss). Related computer implemented methods are also provided.