Methods and systems for forward-looking tone allocation are provided. In one embodiment, a method for an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) multipoint-to-point communications system comprises: establishing communication between a plurality of remote units and a host unit, the remote units communicatively coupled to the host in a multipoint-to-point configuration; transmitting a plurality of tones from the remote units, such that tones from more than one remote unit are simultaneously received at the host, the tones modulated with upstream information using OFDM; adjusting at least one characteristic of at least one tone at least one remote unit, in response to adjustment commands from the host, such that the orthogonality of the simultaneously received tones is improved as received at the host unit; and dynamically switching modulation from at least a first tone of the plurality of tones to a second tone based on an error-rate history of the second tone.