A handheld computing unit includes a plurality of PHY units, a local wireless interface (LWI), and a processing module. When the unit is in a femtocell AP mode, the processing module performs one or more femtocell AP functions to facilitate conversion of a LWI downstream data into one or more downstream PHY signals and conversion of one or more upstream PHY signals into the LWI upstream data; determines energy demand of the handheld computing unit; determines whether the energy demand compares unfavorably to energy performance criteria; and, when the energy demand compares unfavorably to the energy performance criteria, executes an energy adjustment algorithm.