Method to convey uplink traffic information

Methods and apparatus for a Wireless Terminal (WT) to convey uplink traffic information, e.g., uplink channel resource requests, to a Base Station (BS) are described. Uplink transmission resources are requested for data corresponding to different priority levels. The WT keeps track of the BS's understanding of WT traffic through the use of a first queue which keeps track of the BS's estimate of WT's uplink queue status for different priority levels by following the same procedure the BS uses to update its estimate of WT queue status. The WT uses this tracked information along with actual traffic information it maintains in a second set of queue information to form uplink traffic channel requests to be transmitted to the BS. Methods used by the BS to interpret uplink traffic channel requests from WTs are also described. The BS maintains its own queue of requests and corresponding priority information for individual WTs.