What is disclosed is a method of operating a wireless communication device. The method includes detecting a plurality of beacon signals, wherein each of the plurality of beacon signals is associated with each of a plurality of wireless access nodes. The method also includes receiving status information from each of the plurality of wireless access nodes, wherein the status information comprises a modulation level of a wireless link associated with each of the plurality of wireless access nodes. The method also includes selecting one of the plurality of wireless access nodes based on at least the modulation level of the wireless link associated with the one of the plurality of wireless access nodes, modulating user communications based on the modulation level of the wireless link associated with the selected one of the plurality of wireless access nodes, and exchanging the modulated user communications with the selected one of the plurality of wireless access nodes.