Abstract: A communication system 100 acquires band class information and assigns a band class to MS 102 when the MS is engaged in a process of initiating a connection with infrastructure 104. The MS informs the infrastructure of the MS's band class capabilities when the MS initially performs an access attempt with the infrastructure in a reveres link associated with a first band class, that is, on r-csch 142 in reverse link 140. When the band class where the MS initially attempts access is congested, or the infrastructure desires to switch the MS to a second, alternate band class for any other reason, the infrastructure is able to immediately determine the band classes supported by the MS and to immediately assign the MS to a f-csch 132 or traffic channel 134 in a forward link 130 that is associated with the second, alternate band class supported by the MS.

Abstract: To address the need for efficiently performing channel assignment in a manner that reduces call setup time, the present embodiments provide an abbreviated channel assignment message (300) that references information stored by a remote unit (113). The information that is referenced can be removed from the message. By shrinking the channel assignment message in this manner, the present embodiment allows it to be transmitted in a paging slot without negatively impacting the battery life of listening units. Thus, the reduced-call-setup-time benefit of transmitting a channel assignment message in a paging slot can be realized without trading off battery life.

Abstract: A communication system 100 acquires band class information and assigns a band class to MS 102 when the MS is engaged in a process of initiating a connection with infrastructure 104. The MS informs the infrastructure of the MS's band class capabilities when the MS initially performs an access attempt with the infrastructure in a reveres link associated with a first band class, that is, on r-csch 142 in reverse link 140. When the band class where the MS initially attempts access is congested, or the infrastructure desires to switch the MS to a second, alternate band class for any other reason, the infrastructure is able to immediately determine the band classes supported by the MS and to immediately assign the MS to a f-csch 132 or traffic channel 134 in a forward link 130 that is associated with the second, alternate band class supported by the MS.

Abstract: A method for supporting rescue channels in a communications system. The rescue channel feature supports the use of pre-allocated radio resources at neighboring BSs 104, 106 in order to attempt to recover a voice call in danger of being dropped. The MS 114 disables its transmitter upon detection of a loss of forward frames from the network. Once the source BS 102 detects a loss of transmission from the MS 114, it may attempt to re-establish communication with the MS 114 by performing soft handoff additions to rescue cells at neighboring BSs. The neighboring BSs are the MS's neighbor list, last reported Extended Pilot Strength Measurement Message (EPSMM), and possibly other factors.