Methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media are disclosed for creating
a virtual lookahead upstream receiver in a single physical upstream receiver in
a CMTS, thereby avoiding having to dedicate an upstream receiver strictly for lookahead
capability. A lookahead receiver is used to determine whether a potential alternative
frequency is better than the frequency presently being used. A physical upstream
receiver is assigned to operate under a set of operational parameters associated
with a logical lookahead receiver during a particular time slot. The logical receiver
receives upstream data from a selected test modem using an alternative upstream
frequency. It is then determined whether the alternative upstream frequency is
preferable over the frequency presently being used. If so, the physical receiver
is configured to operate normally under the set of operational parameters associated
with the logical receiver. At this stage, all modems in a particular group, including
the selected modem, hop over to the alternative frequency. The physical receiver
can be divided into any number of logical receivers.