One or more computer-readable storage media storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a first node, instruct a processing unit of the first node to perform operations comprising: wirelessly receiving, by the first node of a wireless network and from a second node of the wireless network, a first communication including a channel information element, each of the first node and the second node comprising a full function device or a limited function device, wherein a full function device is a mains powered device and a limited function device is a battery powered device, the channel information element including: a tag indicating a first operating context to apply channel data to, the channel data indicating at least one of a channel plan (404, 502, 602), a generator function, a channel spacing, or a list of channels, wherein the generator function is adapted to produce different channel plans from the list of channels depending on a seed value, the channel plan is a channel number sequence derived from the list of channels, and the channel spacing indicates a spacing of a channel element in a channel plan; and a reference tag including one or more reference bits to identify previously received channel data, associated with a second operating context, to be used as the channel data, wherein the first operating context and the second operating context each defines a set of parameters for one of a broadcast, a multicast, or a unicast service; using, by the first node, the channel information element to apply the channel data associated with the second operating context to the first operating context by: in the event that the reference tag indicates that the channel data has been previously received, accessing by the first node, the previously received channel data associated with the second operating context and stored in a memory of the first node, and applying the previously received channel data to the first operating context; and based at least in part on the first operating context: listening, by the first node, for a second communication from the second node; or sending, by the first node, a second communication to the second node. wirelessly receiving, by the first node of a wireless network and from a second node of the wireless network, a first communication including a channel information element, each of the first node and the second node comprising a full function device or a limited function device, wherein a full function device is a mains powered device and a limited function device is a battery powered device, the channel information element including: a tag indicating a first operating context to apply channel data to, the channel data indicating at least one of a channel plan (404, 502, 602), a generator function, a channel spacing, or a list of channels, wherein the generator function is adapted to produce different channel plans from the list of channels depending on a seed value, the channel plan is a channel number sequence derived from the list of channels, and the channel spacing indicates a spacing of a channel element in a channel plan; and a reference tag including one or more reference bits to identify previously received channel data, associated with a second operating context, to be used as the channel data, wherein the first operating context and the second operating context each defines a a tag indicating a first operating context to apply channel data to, the channel data indicating at least one of a channel plan (404, 502, 602), a generator function, a channel spacing, or a list of channels, wherein the generator function is adapted to produce different channel plans from the list of channels depending on a seed value, the channel plan is a channel number sequence derived from the list of channels, and the channel spacing indicates a spacing of a channel element in a channel plan; and a reference tag including one or more reference bits to identify previously received channel data, associated with a second operating context, to be used as the channel data, wherein the first operating context and the second operating context each defines a set of parameters for one of a broadcast, a multicast, or a unicast service; using, by the first node, the channel information element to apply the channel data associated with the second operating context to the first operating context by: in the event that the reference tag indicates that the channel data has been previously received, accessing by the first node, the previously received channel data associated with the second operating context and stored in a memory of the first node, and applying the previously received channel data to the first operating context; and based at least in part on the first operating context: listening, by the first node, for a second communication from the second node; or sending, by the first node, a second communication to the second node. in the event that the reference tag indicates that the channel data has been previously received, accessing by the first node, the previously received channel data associated with the second operating context and stored in a memory of the first node, and applying the previously received channel data to the first operating context; and based at least in part on the first operating context: listening, by the first node, for a second communication from the second node; or sending, by the first node, a second communication to the second node. listening, by the first node, for a second communication from the second node; or sending, by the first node, a second communication to the second node.