The present invention is a system and method which controls outer loop transmit power for transmission power of an uplink/downlink communication in a wireless communication system. The system receives a communication from a base station and determines an error rate on the received communication. The system then distinguishes between static and dynamic channels, produces a static adjustment value, and characterizes the dynamic channels to generate a dynamic adjustment value. The target power level is then adjusted by the static and dynamic adjustment values, setting the transmission power level.