A system may obtain a current bit error count that identifies a quantity of bit errors in a bit stream during a time interval. The system may determine that the current bit error count identifies one or more bit errors. The system may determine whether an estimated bit error rate (BER) for the bit stream is likely to satisfy a threshold. The system may select an approach for determining the estimated BER for the bit stream. The estimated BER may be determined based on combining the current bit error count with a quantity of bits received in the time interval when the estimated BER is likely to exceed the threshold, and the estimated BER may be determined based on the current bit error count and one or more past bit error counts when the estimated BER is unlikely to exceed the threshold. The system may determine the estimated BER.