Patent ID: 8259606

Claim:
A method comprising: an access node providing wireless service to a plurality of access terminals on a carrier in a coverage area, the plurality of access terminals consisting of a first subset and a second subset, the first and second subsets being mutually exclusive, the first subset operating according to IS-856, Release 0, and the second subset operating according to IS-856, Revision A; the access node maintaining a first reverse activity bit (RAB) threshold and a second RAB threshold; and the access node periodically: measuring reverse noise rise (RNR) on the carrier, comparing the measured RNR to each of the first and second RAB thresholds, transmitting a first RAB to the first subset of access terminals, wherein the first RAB is set when the measured RNR exceeds the first RAB threshold, and wherein the first RAB is clear when the measured RNR does not exceed the first RAB threshold, and transmitting a second RAB to the second subset of access terminals, wherein the second RAB is set when the measured RNR exceeds the second RAB threshold, and wherein the second RAB is clear when the measured RNR does not exceed the second RAB threshold.