Reducing call drops in spread spectrum wireless communication systems

The present invention provides a method and an apparatus of wireless communication with at least one wireless unit. The method includes detecting an indication of error in a plurality of traffic frames to control transmit power between at least a first and second forward link based on the indication of error. The method further includes receiving a plurality of consecutive traffic frames over at least two reverse links from a wireless unit to select a frame in soft handoff. To control transmit power, for example, a controller may perform reverse link error detection after frame selection. The controller detects a frame error to boost the transmit power, substantially correcting a link imbalance situation. In this way, by controlling transmit power in a spread spectrum wireless communication system to reduce call drops, a call drop rate may be significantly decreased while increasing capacity of radio frequency transmission.