Method and apparatus for determining the transmission data rate in a multi-user communication system

In a communication system wherein a base station communicates messages on a forward link with a plurality of remote users an apparatus of controlling the data rate of said message communications, comprising:

• usage determination means for determining a usage value of said forward link;
• rate control logic means for receiving said usage value, comparing said usage value to at least one predetermined threshold value and conditionally providing a rate control signal in accordance with said comparisons;
• and
• variable rate data source means for receiving an active message and encoding said active message as a plurality of transmission frames, wherein said variable data source means is responsive to said rate control signal for encoding a subset of said plurality of transmission frames at a reduced encoding rate while providing other frames of said plurality of transmission frames at a higher encoding rate.