A method for using a high order modulation (HoM) mode for communications with a wireless device in a wireless communication network is provided. The method includes receiving downlink channel quality indicator (CQI) information from an uplink transmission of the wireless device and determining a downlink channel quality estimate from the CQI information. When a measurement of the downlink channel quality estimate satisfies the predetermined criteria for a first predetermined number of consecutive uplink transmissions from the wireless device, a downlink transmission mode of the wireless device is switched from a first modulation mode to the HoM mode.