Method of controlling load sharing between in-cell and soft handoff users

A method of controlling load from non-served soft handoff users on a channel, comprising:

• determing an estimated use of an uplink resource by prioritized users if transmission rates for the prioritized users are granted;
• granting the transmission rates if the estimated use of the uplink resource is less than or equal to an available amount of the uplink resource;
• and
• selectively performing rate control for at least one non-served soft handoff user based on a soft handoff loading metric indicative of loading from non-served soft handoff users on the channel if the estimated use of the uplink resource is greater than the available amount of the uplink resource.