ms 102 to the network 100 for candidate bss 104 because pilot signal measurements may be skewed or otherwise biased somewhat by forward link loading conditions the network 100 receives base station loading estimates from the candidate bss 104 step 202 which it uses to remove forward link loading biases from the pilot signal measurements in exemplary embodiments the ms 102 transmits pilot signal measurements to one or more bss 104 which in turn provides those measurements to the bsc 108 the bsc 108 further receives candidate base station loading estimates and is thus positioned to make initial transmit power computations in accordance with the present invention first the bsc 108 selects the number of traffic channel connections that will be used to support the contemplated forward link traffic channel step 204 that is the bsc 108 determines which bss 104 will be used to support the forward link traffic channel as is explained in more detail later the bsc 108 typically sets the number of traffic channel connections equal to the number of candidate bss 104 i e to the number of bss 104 in the active set of ms 102 however circumstances might arise that force usage of fewer than all candidate bss 104 regardless the network 100 fixes or otherwise determines the number of traffic channel connections and then computes the initial transmit power as the actual transmit power required to.