A wireless handheld communication device (102) for reducing a
communication delay at a proximate wireless communication device is
disclosed. The wireless handheld communication device simultaneously
transmits to a remote station (106) through a base station (108), and
transmits to the proximate wireless communication device (104) directly.
The method includes communicating a first communication on first link
(116) to a proximate wireless communication device and communicating,
simultaneously with communicating the first communication, a second
communication on a second link (112) to a base station, wherein the first
communication and the second communication are substantially the same.