A communication node (162, 164, 166, 168, 170, 172, 180) comprising: at least one interface (182, 184) that enables the communication node to transfer communication traffic between first and second adjacent communication nodes at respective first and second communication rates; a communication control module, operatively coupled to the at least one interface, that determines whether a congestion condition exists at the communication node for transfer of communication traffic between the first and second adjacent communication nodes, and requests adjustment of the first and second communication rates by the first and second adjacent communication nodes to increase one of the first and second communication rates and to decrease the other of the first and second communication rates where the congestion condition exists, wherein the first and second communication rates represent respective portions of total bandwidth available for bidirectional communication traffic transfer between the first adjacent communication node and the communication node and between the second adjacent communication node and the communication node, wherein the first and second total bandwidths comprise a plurality of frequency bands respectively allocated for transfer of communication traffic in opposite directions between the first adjacent communication node and the communication node and between the second adjacent communication node and the communication node, wherein the communication control module requests adjustment by requesting adjustments to the respective portions of total available bandwidth, to: cause the first adjacent communication node to re-allocate frequency bands, that have been allocated for communication traffic transfer in one direction between the first and second adjacent communication nodes, for communication traffic transfer in the opposite direction between the first and second adjacent communication nodes; and cause the second adjacent communication node to re-allocate frequency bands, that have been allocated for communication traffic transfer in the opposite direction, for communication traffic transfer in the one direction. at least one interface (182, 184) that enables the communication node to transfer communication traffic between first and second adjacent communication nodes at respective first and second communication rates; a communication control module, operatively coupled to the at least one interface, that determines whether a congestion condition exists at the communication node for transfer of communication traffic between the first and second adjacent communication nodes, and requests adjustment of the first and second communication rates by the first and second adjacent communication nodes to increase one of the first and second communication rates and to decrease the other of the first and second communication rates where the congestion condition exists, wherein the first and second communication rates represent respective portions of total bandwidth available for bidirectional communication traffic transfer between the first adjacent communication node and the communication node and between the second adjacent communication node and the communication node, wherein the first and second total bandwidths comprise a plurality of frequency bands respectively allocated for transfer of communication traffic in opposite directions between the first adjacent communication node and the communication node and between the second adjacent communication node and the communication node, wherein the communication control module requests adjustment by requesting adjustments to the respective portions of total available bandwidth, to: cause the first adjacent communication node to re-allocate frequency bands, that have been allocated for communication traffic transfer in one direction between the first and second adjacent communication nodes, for communication traffic transfer in the opposite direction between the first and second adjacent communication nodes; and cause the second adjacent communication node to re-allocate frequency bands, that have been allocated for communication traffic transfer in the opposite direction, for communication traffic transfer in the one direction.