A method for managing access of a communication resource in a licensed assisted access, LAA, network, the method comprising: receiving, from a plurality of transmission points, TPs, a first set of information indicative of expected usage of a first communication resource by each TP; and in accordance with the first set of information: defining, based on a calculation of a soft airtime, SAT, share, a first set of one or more radio access clusters, RACs, to manage the expected usage of the first communication resource, each RAC including a respective set of one or more TPs, wherein the SAT share is proportional to a served load and is inversely proportional to a coexisting load, the served load representing usage of the first communication resource by a RAC, and the coexisting load representing usage of the first communication resource by one or more coexisting networks in an area of influence impacted by usage of the first communication resource by a RAC; wherein a first RAC in the first set of RACs is defined to include a first TP when a merged SAT share, calculated for the first TP grouped together with the first RAC, is greater than or equal to a first SAT share, calculated for the first RAC without the first TP; and transmitting information to the plurality of TPs to cause each given TP to align timing of usage or reservation of the first communication resource with any other TP belonging to the same RAC to which the given TP belongs, and wherein causing each given TP to align timing further causes each given TP to have a common airtime share of the first communication resource with any other TP belonging to the same RAC to which the given TP belongs. receiving, from a plurality of transmission points, TPs, a first set of information indicative of expected usage of a first communication resource by each TP; and in accordance with the first set of information: defining, based on a calculation of a soft airtime, SAT, share, a first set of one or more radio access clusters, RACs, to manage the expected usage of the first communication resource, each RAC including a respective set of one or more TPs, wherein the SAT share is proportional to a served load and is inversely proportional to a coexisting load, the served load representing usage of the first communication resource by a RAC, and the coexisting load representing usage of the first communication resource by one or more coexisting networks in an area of influence impacted by usage of the first communication resource by a RAC; wherein a first RAC in the first set of RACs is defined to include a first TP when a merged SAT share, calculated for the first TP grouped together with the first RAC, is greater than or equal to a first SAT share, calculated for the first RAC without the first TP; and transmitting information to the plurality of TPs to cause each given TP to align timing of usage or reservation of the first communication resource with any other TP belonging to the same RAC to which the given TP belongs, and wherein causing each given TP to align timing further causes each given TP to have a common airtime share of the first communication resource with any other TP belonging to the same RAC to which the given TP belongs. defining, based on a calculation of a soft airtime, SAT, share, a first set of one or more radio access clusters, RACs, to manage the expected usage of the first communication resource, each RAC including a respective set of one or more TPs, wherein the SAT share is proportional to a served load and is inversely proportional to a coexisting load, the served load representing usage of the first communication resource by a RAC, and the coexisting load representing usage of the first communication resource by one or more coexisting networks in an area of influence impacted by usage of the first communication resource by a RAC; wherein a first RAC in the first set of RACs is defined to include a first TP when a merged SAT share, calculated for the first TP grouped together with the first RAC, is greater than or equal to a first SAT share, calculated for the first RAC without the first TP; and transmitting information to the plurality of TPs to cause each given TP to align timing of usage or reservation of the first communication resource with any other TP belonging to the same RAC to which the given TP belongs, and wherein causing each given TP to align timing further causes each given TP to have a common airtime share of the first communication resource with any other TP belonging to the same RAC to which the given TP belongs.