Abstract: A device, system and method are disclosed for locating clean channels for upstream data carriers that are certain to have lower noise levels than the currently utilized channel used for carrying data upstream, thereby enabling intelligent placement of an upstream data carrier in a cable television system utilizing cable modems for two-way data transmission. A spectrum analyzer is placed in a cable modem termination system located in a headend of a cable television system. The spectrum analyzer contains a programmable device comprised of programmable circuitry. The circuitry is operable in a first mode to receive a signal having an associated frequency spectrum made up of several channels. The circuitry also determines a noise level for each of the channels. The circuitry is also operable in a second mode to receive the signal described above and filter the signal to generate several filtered signals where each filtered signal corresponds to one of the channels.