Method and apparatus for providing access to a communication system

摘要

Communication units are provided access to a communication system (100) in the following manner. A base station (202) receives, from a requesting communication unit, a request, via a shared inbound communication resource (209), for an available message path (207). When a dual-mode outbound communication resource is operating in a control mode (205), the message path (207), having a first inbound communication resource (204) and the dual-mode outbound communication resource operating in a partial control mode (206), is assigned to the requesting communication unit. Thus, the shared inbound communication resource is consistently available, providing access to the communication system.