A method for use in a wireless communications system comprising at least one base station and at least two wireless terminals and which communicate via a wireless channel resource comprising the steps of: partitioning said wireless channel resource into at least an acknowledgment channel including a plurality of acknowledgment segments and a traffic channel including a plurality of traffic segments , said plurality of acknowledgment segments having a first bandwidth and said plurality of traffic segments having a second bandwidth different from the first bandwidth, wherein individual channel segments are dedicated to individual wireless terminals of the at least two wireless terminals; transmitting traffic data in a first one of said plurality of traffic segments, said first one traffic segment being dedicated to a first wireless terminal of the at least two wireless terminals and the first one traffic segment being used to transport traffic data; receiving a first acknowledgment in a first one of said acknowledgment segments that corresponds directly to said first one traffic segment; determining whether said received first acknowledgment indicates that the traffic data is to be retransmitted; and retransmitting said traffic data when said determination so indicates; transmitting traffic data in a second one of said plurality of traffic segments, said second traffic segment being dedicated to a second wireless terminal of the at least two wireless terminals; receiving a second acknowledgement in a second acknowledgment segment corresponding directly to said second one of said plurality of traffic segments; determining whether said received second acknowledgment indicates that traffic data transmitted in said second one of said plurality of traffic segments is to be retransmitted and retransmitting said traffic data when said determination so indicates. partitioning said wireless channel resource into at least an acknowledgment channel including a plurality of acknowledgment segments and a traffic channel including a plurality of traffic segments , said plurality of acknowledgment segments having a first bandwidth and said plurality of traffic segments having a second bandwidth different from the first bandwidth, wherein individual channel segments are dedicated to individual wireless terminals of the at least two wireless terminals; transmitting traffic data in a first one of said plurality of traffic segments, said first one traffic segment being dedicated to a first wireless terminal of the at least two wireless terminals and the first one traffic segment being used to transport traffic data; receiving a first acknowledgment in a first one of said acknowledgment segments that corresponds directly to said first one traffic segment; determining whether said received first acknowledgment indicates that the traffic data is to be retransmitted; and retransmitting said traffic data when said determination so indicates; transmitting traffic data in a second one of said plurality of traffic segments, said second traffic segment being dedicated to a second wireless terminal of the at least two wireless terminals; receiving a second acknowledgement in a second acknowledgment segment corresponding directly to said second one of said plurality of traffic segments; determining whether said received second acknowledgment indicates that traffic data transmitted in said second one of said plurality of traffic segments is to be retransmitted and retransmitting said traffic data when said determination so indicates. <EOS>