Embodiments include a system and method for solving a wireless communications channel packing problem by using a cost-like accounting metric that includes channel packing efficiency as well as modulation efficiency, channel conditions and or noise thresholds. The cost-like accounting metric is used to adjust the rated effectiveness of using each available modulation scheme where modulation schemes in adjacent spectrum will produce differing degrees of packing efficiency. By selecting those available carrier wave modulation schemes based on channel conditions versus noise threshold and accounting for packing factor as well as modulation efficiency, some embodiments the invention achieve higher quality within the framework of creating the greatest overall channel efficiency by selecting the best modulation scheme for each part of the spectrum being used.