A system and method to reduce the incidence of communications network time outs by tailoring the time length specified by an initial date time stamp and an ending date time stamp ranges of a new record update query request to be less likely to direct a responding system(s) to responsively communicate a count of individual record updates and/or a combined information volume that overburdens a communications channel, protocol or mode to cause a time-out. The number of record updates received in response to previous update queries are observed. In view of these observed query responses, the date time stamp ranges of the new update requests specified by the initial date time stamp and the ending date time of a new potential query are limited in magnitude to be unlikely to cause responding messages to contain a higher quantity of record updates than a preselected quantity of record updates and/or data volume.