Systems and methods are described for assigning wireless resources to a high power wireless device. In some embodiments, a quality of service metric used for communication between a wireless device and an access node is identified, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit an uplink signal at a first signal level that meets a power criteria. Default uplink resource are assigned to the wireless device based on the identified quality of service criteria, wherein the default uplink resources are associated with a default wireless device configured to transmit an uplink signal at a second signal level that does not meet the power criteria. And uplink communication is received at the access node from the wireless device using the assigned default uplink resources.