Method and apparatus for differentiated communications in a wireless network

In a wireless communications network, different service levels can be subscribed to by users of mobile stations for packet-switched communications, such as electronic mail, web browsing, text chat, packet-switched voice communications, and so forth. In one arrangement, two different levels are defined. For a first level, when there is no more data to send over a wireless interface between a mobile station and a wireless access system, a logical connection between the mobile station and wireless access system is released. However, at a second level, the logical connection between the mobile station and the wireless access system is not released until after a predetermined timed period from when a send buffer becomes empty, with the send buffer containing data for sending over the wireless interface. A benefit of releasing the logical connection after some predetermined wait period is that the delays associated with establishing another logical connection are reduced.