Systems and techniques for managing helper cells in coordinated multipoint processing. Bandwidth assistance is requested from one or more cells operating in a network. In response to demand price and headroom information provided by a plurality of cells receiving the request, a set of potential helper cells is rank ordered and identified one or more helpers is identified from the ordered set and a candidate helper set is assembled based on bandwidth performance assistance criteria. A new request for bandwidth assistance is made. In response to new demand price and headroom information obtained from the candidate helper set, a determination is made whether sufficient iterations have been performed. If sufficient iterations have not been performed, the process is repeated, and if sufficient iterations have been performed, a requesting cell proceeds to operate while receiving bandwidth assistance from the assembled set.