In a wireless communication system (10) a method and apparatus for inhibiting
data transmissions during a data service outage at the access terminal (16).
The access terminal (16) transmits an outage indicator to the access network
(12) prior to the outage. A data service outage may be due to a page monitor
of the voice portion of the system, or to frequency searching during which the
access terminal (AT) is not available to receive data. The access network (12)
does not transmit data during the outage. In one embodiment, the indicator is a
DRC null cover. In an alternate embodiment, the indicator is a DRC having a zero
data rate.
