Method and Apparatus for Achieving Frequency Diversity in Scheduled Packet Data Transmissions

Carrier frequency selection is enabled in transmitting packet data between a radio transceiver and a mobile station and in a wireless communication network with shared packet data service. The packet data service permits transmission of packet data along a packet data link comprising a plurality of shared packet data channels, such as that provided by the NxEV-DO protocol. Each channel is characterized by a unique carrier frequency. Packet data may be divided and transmitted among the plurality of channels. Packet data may be transmitted along a first of the plurality of channels. Upon receiving a negative acknowledgement indicative of an erroneous packet transmission in accordance with known error control schemes such as HARQ, retransmission data may be transmitted along a second of the plurality of channels. As multiple carrier frequencies are used to transmit packet data and retransmission data, frequency diversity is added to time diversity inherent in retransmission protocols.