The invention provides a method and apparatus for end-users to allocate a communication medium locally without requiring a central arbitration device while guaranteeing access to the end-users. The end-users bid for control of an upstream data channel by concurrently transmitting auction data and address data on a first upstream signaling channel and a second upstream signaling channel. An end-user gains control of the upstream data channel when data received from the first and second downstream signaling channels match the auction and address bits. When it is determined that the end-user lost the bid, the end-user backs off from the first and second upstream signaling channels and refrains from bidding until the first and second upstream signaling channels become quiet.