Systems, methods, and processing nodes are configured to manage data throughput of wireless devices in a wireless network, such as a network that employs MIMO techniques, by receiving a request from a wireless device to operate in the wireless network using a first communication protocol, the wireless network deploying communications with wireless devices using at least two communication protocols simultaneously determining that a value associated with data rate used by a set of wireless devices in the wireless network using at least one of the at least two communication protocols exceeds a threshold value, and adjusting an operating parameter of a multi-element antenna for communicating signals between an access node and the plurality of wireless devices in the wireless network using the first communication protocol when it is determined that the value exceed the threshold value.