A system and method allocates bandwidth for a plurality of data sources within a communications network. The data sources each generate data and transmit the generated data along communications channels in a shared communications link of the communications network. Each data source includes a data sensor for sensing data generation at each data source indicative of network resource usage. A node is connected to the communications link for receiving the data generated from respective data sources. A controller is associated with at least one of the node and each data sensor and data source for establishing data sensor detection thresholds, reallocating excess data capacity from underused channels to those channels requiring excess data capacity, and setting new data detection thresholds for each data sensor based on reallocated data rates at each data source.