Scheduling virtual preambles for data source reporting

A data reporting system, comprising:

• one or more data sources;
• a base station operative to:
• receive a preamble from a set of one or more data sources during a scheduled time slot;
• receive a virtual preamble during the scheduled time slot, wherein the virtual preamble is associated with another set of one or more data sources;
• wherein the preamble and the virtual preamble provide notice to the base station that a hub associated with at least one data source needs to transmit over the uplink wireless link;
• generate responses to both the preamble and to the virtual preamble, wherein the responses include scheduled time and frequency allocations for uplink communication from the set of one or more data sources and the other set of one or more data sources
• transmit the responses to the set of one or more data sources and the other set of one or more data sources;
• and
• receive uplink wireless communication from the set of one or more data sources and the other set of one or more data sources according to the scheduled time and frequency allocations.