Abstract: A method of this invention operates a mobile station, such as a cellular radiotelephone, of a type that is bidirectionally coupled to a system through an RF interface. The method includes a first step of receiving a first portion of a message word from an analog control channel (ACC); determining from the received first portion if the message word is a predetermined type of message word; and, if the message word is determined to be the predetermined type of message word, terminating the reception of the message word so as not to receive a second portion of the message word, thereby reducing the power consumption of the mobile station. In the preferred embodiment of this invention the predetermined type of message word is a control-filler message, and the second portion of the message word is comprised of a parity bits portion. The step of determining includes a step of comparing less than a total number of bits (e.g.