A communication device may obtain a channel estimate, and may adjust power thresholds governing an adaptive bit loading scheme. The communication device may include a transceiver arranged to receive data from a remote transmitter on a plurality of subcarriers. The communication device may also include a controller coupled to the transceiver. Finally, a memory unit may be coupled to the controller. The memory unit may contain a set of instructions that when executed cause the controller to cooperate with the transceiver to create a channel estimate, to create modulation criteria based at least in part on the channel estimate, and to command the remote transmitter, on a subcarrier-by-subcarrier basis, to employ a particular modulation technique on a particular subcarrier. Such a command may be based at least in part on a comparison of the channel estimate and the modulation criteria.