Method and apparatus for controlling power in a forward link of a CDMA telecommunications system

A facility is provided for more efficiently controlling transmitted power in a forward link of CDMA telecommunications system. This is done by offsetting a power reference level that adjusts the level of the transmitted power using an power offset selected as a function of a transmission rate specified for the transmission of a coded frame. The coded frame is then transmitted at a power level selected as function of the adjusted power reference level, rather than the unadjusted level. Such efficiently is particularly noticeable when there is transition from one frame transmission rate to another such rate and vice-versa.