The invention provides a method and apparatus for transmitting real-time data in a multi-access system which eliminates clipping of the data while reducing transmission delays. The invention can be incorporated in any multi-access system where transmission resources are allocated when there is information to transmit. In a preferred embodiment, the invention is incorporated in a multi-access wireless system for the upstream transmission of voice from a mobile station to a base station. Each speech segment received at the mobile is shortened by appropriate editing and buffered until transmission. By editing and buffering speech segments as they are received, clipping can be eliminated while reducing transmission delays.