A Multicast Adaptive Bitrate (MABR) Bandwidth Control Agent (BCA) configured to manage bandwidth of a plurality of MABR data streams in an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) over Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) system, wherein a bandwidth bottleneck exists on either an inbound, IP-network side of a Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) or on an outbound, DOCSIS/RF-network side of the CMTS. The MABR BCA configures multiple virtual pipes on the inbound, IP-network side of the CMTS when the bottleneck is on the outbound, DOCSIS/RF-network side of the CMTS. One virtual pipe is configured for each service group to manage the bandwidth per service group for output RF ports on the CMTS. When the bottleneck is on the inbound, IP-network side of the CMTS, the MABR BCA configures one virtual pipe on the inbound, IP-network side to manage the bandwidth for input Ethernet ports on the CMTS.