Quick reassignment of invalid forward traffic channels

An access-network component comprising:

• a non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium;
• program instructions stored on the non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium and executable by at least one processor to:
• (i) determine that a forward traffic channel in a given coverage area of an access network is invalid, wherein the forward traffic channel is initially assigned to a first access terminal;
• and
• (ii) in response to the determination that the forward traffic channel is invalid:
• (a) send a first configuration message indicating that the forward traffic channel is invalid, (b) after sending the first configuration message that indicates the forward traffic channel is invalid, wait for at least a predetermined wait period before sending a second configuration message indicating that the forward traffic channel is valid, wherein the predetermined wait period comprises a duration of a drop-call timer of the first access terminal, and (c) before the predetermined wait period has ended, make the forward traffic channel available for re-assignment to a second access terminal.