Methods and systems for tone hopping

A bi-directional communication system, the system comprising:

• a multipoint-to-point host unit;
• and
• a plurality of remote units communicatively coupled to the multipoint-to-point host unit through an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing waveform;
• wherein the multipoint-to-point host unit is configured to receive the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing waveform, the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing waveform comprising a plurality of tones transmitted by the plurality of remote units;
• wherein the plurality of remote units include a modulator for modulating at least one of the plurality of tones with upstream information using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing, wherein the modulator is configured to adjust at least one parameter of the plurality of tones such that when any tones are transmitted from the first remote unit and at least one other remote unit of the plurality of remote units, the orthogonality of the tones when received at the host unit is improved;
• and
• wherein the plurality of remote units selectively switch transmission of upstream information between tones of the plurality of tones based on a channel quality of at least one of the tones.