Method and system of sending power control commands

A method of sending, on a forward link comprising a plurality of timeslots, power control commands (PCCs) directed to a plurality of active access terminals in a given coverage area, the method comprising:

• an access network maintaining an indicator of forward signal quality detected by each of the plurality of active access terminals;
• during a first series of timeslots, the access network sending PCCs directed to each of the plurality of active access terminals in every timeslot;
• the access network determining that a maintained indicator of forward signal quality detected by a first active access terminal of the plurality of active access terminals is greater than a threshold value;
• and
• in response to determining that the maintained indicator of forward signal quality detected by the first active access terminal is greater than the threshold value, during a second series of timeslots, the access network sending PCCs directed to the first active access terminal in less than every timeslot and sending PCCs directed to the other active access terminals in every timeslot.

A base transceiver station (BTS) comprising:

• a wireless communication interface configured to provide at least one wireless link over which to communicate with a plurality of active access terminals in a given coverage area;
• a radio network controller (RNC) communication interface configured to provide connectivity with an RNC;
• a processor;
• data storage;
• and
• program instructions stored in data storage and executable by the processor to:
• send a first series of power control commands (PCCs) directed to a first active access terminal of the plurality of active access terminals at a current transmission rate;
• maintain an indicator of forward signal quality detected by the first active access terminal;
• based on the maintained indicator of forward signal quality detected by the first active access terminal, decide to adjust the transmission rate at which to send PCCs directed to the first active access terminal to an adjusted transmission rate;
• and
• in response to deciding to adjust the transmission rate, send a second series of PCCs directed to the first active access terminal at the adjusted transmission rate.