Data communications in a radio communication system

State apparatus, and an associated method, controls a packet data service in a radio communication system in which a mobile station is operable. Control architecture is represented by operational states in which the mobile station is caused to be operated includes a control hold power save substate and a virtual traffic substate. Subsequent to a selected period of communication inactivity, the operational state of the mobile station in caused to be transitioned into a control hold power save substate in which a dedicated control channel remains allocated to the mobile station. It packet data is subsequently to be communicated by the mobile station, the channel is readily available to the mobile station to communicate the packet data thereon. When, conversely, subsequent to a period of communication inactivity, operation of the mobile station is caused to be transitioned into the virtual traffic channel substate, a communication channel is released from its allocation to the mobile station.