A system and method receives IP packets on a first device for delivery as DOCSIS packets over a DOCSIS interface, each DOCSIS packet encapsulating IP data from the IP packets, and including a sequence number that the first device generates for a bonding group. The method delivers first DOCSIS packets to a DOCSIS device using first downstream channels on the first device that are associated with the bonding group. When the first downstream channels exceed a capacity, the method determines an available capacity of second downstream channels on a second device that are associated with the bonding group, identifies second DOCSIS packets that do not exceed the available capacity, and forwards the second DOCSIS packets to the second device, which delivers the second DOCSIS packets to the DOCSIS device using the second downstream channels.