Abstract: A digital cellular communication system provides an asymmetric speech coder for improving audio quality in the uplink channel. A high rate speech coder is provided in the uplink of the digital cellular communication system to improve the audio quality. To compensate for the higher band width consumed by this high rate speech coder, the uplink uses a channel code, such as a convolutional code, that generates fewer symbols per each input bit, thereby consuming less bandwidth. The loss of coding gain as a result of the change in the convolutional code is compensated for by applying a special power control strategy. The power control strategy increases the transmit power for transceivers using the asymmetric speech coder.