An apparatus and method that optimizes the data rate for forward link data transmissions in a spread-spectrum communications system 106 is provided. The spread-spectrum communications system 106 comprises a wireless infrastructure 103, at least one wireless mobile receiving device 105, and an radio frequency (RF) forward link 104 between the wireless infrastructure 103 and the wireless mobile receiving device 105. The data rate of the RF forward link 104 is optimized in the wireless infrastructure 103 by estimating or measuring the bottleneck link speed of the data transmission and adjusting the data rate for the RE forward link 104 according to several embodiments of a data rate optimization algorithm. The algorithm creates an optimum range for the data rate of the RF wireless link 104 which maximizes system capacity and reduces transmission delays to the wireless mobile receiving device 105.