A method and apparatus for scheduling transmit rates and power levels for data in conjunction with a voice-data communication during conditions of soft and softer handoff. During conditions of no handoff, or hard handoff, an algorithm selects a slot reflecting a favored power level and transmission rate for transmitting the non-voice data on a supplemental channel. The slot is selected based upon the transmission power levels for voice-data transmitted by a base station to a remote station on a fundamental channel. The algorithm applies to softer handoff using information from all the sectors of a base station involved in the softer handoff. During soft handoff, instead of scheduling forward link transmission based on recent power and rate, or C/I information, data is continuously transmitted to the user at a power level based on average required power.