A method performed by a one-hop neighbor node (102B, 102C, 102D) of a root node of a network, the method comprising: receiving priority information from the root node, the priority information including: a list of communication time slots corresponding to a communication channel; and indication of one or more of the communication time slots during which the one-hop neighbor (102B, 102C, 102D) of the root node has communication priority relative to one or more other one-hop neighbors (102B, 102C, 102D) of the root node; setting a contention window and/or an inter-frame spacing of the one-hop neighbor (102B, 102C, 102D) of the root node based at least in part on the priority information received from the root node; and during a communication time slot: waiting a predetermined period of time before transmitting information to the root node, wherein waiting the predetermined period of time comprises waiting the inter-frame spacing and/or the contention window; listening on a control channel for transmissions by other nodes during the predetermined period of time; and transmitting information in response to both: expiration of the predetermined period of time and overhearing no transmissions by other nodes during the predetermined period of time. receiving priority information from the root node, the priority information including: a list of communication time slots corresponding to a communication channel; and indication of one or more of the communication time slots during which the one-hop neighbor (102B, 102C, 102D) of the root node has communication priority relative to one or more other one-hop neighbors (102B, 102C, 102D) of the root node; setting a contention window and/or an inter-frame spacing of the one-hop neighbor (102B, 102C, 102D) of the root node based at least in part on the priority information received from the root node; and a list of communication time slots corresponding to a communication channel; and indication of one or more of the communication time slots during which the one-hop neighbor (102B, 102C, 102D) of the root node has communication priority relative to one or more other one-hop neighbors (102B, 102C, 102D) of the root node; setting a contention window and/or an inter-frame spacing of the one-hop neighbor (102B, 102C, 102D) of the root node based at least in part on the priority information received from the root node; and during a communication time slot: waiting a predetermined period of time before transmitting information to the root node, wherein waiting the predetermined period of time comprises waiting the inter-frame spacing and/or the contention window; listening on a control channel for transmissions by other nodes during the predetermined period of time; and transmitting information in response to both: expiration of the predetermined period of time and overhearing no transmissions by other nodes during the predetermined period of time. waiting a predetermined period of time before transmitting information to the root node, wherein waiting the predetermined period of time comprises waiting the inter-frame spacing and/or the contention window; listening on a control channel for transmissions by other nodes during the predetermined period of time; and transmitting information in response to both: expiration of the predetermined period of time and overhearing no transmissions by other nodes during the predetermined period of time.