Method and system for responding to a reception failure of a reverse link signal

A method for determining whether to release at least one resource that a radio access network (RAN) has allocated to a mobile station, said method comprising:

• said RAN receiving a reverse link signal that is wirelessly transmitted by said mobile station;
• said RAN detecting a reception failure of said reverse link signal, said reception failure occurring at a first time;
• said RAN determining whether said mobile station was transmitting said reverse link signal at a maximum transmit power level at said first time;
• if said mobile station was transmitting at said maximum transmit power level at said first time, said RAN releasing said at least one resource;
• if said mobile station was transmitting at less than said maximum transmit power level at said first time, said RAN defining a test period that is sufficient to allow said mobile station to increase its transmit power to said maximum transmit power level;
• said RAN determining whether said reception failure continues throughout said test period;
• and
• if said reception failure continues throughout said test period, said RAN releasing said at least one resource.