The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for transmitting data on an uplink by selectively using multiple access modes to multiplex a transmission based on at least two different transmit formats. A method of wireless communication between at least one mobile station and a base station sector in a cellular system enables a first transmit format for a first transmission of the at least one mobile station on an uplink to the base station sector to multiplex first and second components of the first transmission based on a first access mode. The method further comprises enabling a second transmit format different than the first transmit format for a second transmission on the uplink from the at least one mobile station to multiplex first and second components of the second transmission based on a second access mode. In a spread spectrum cellular system, a base station sector may assign some transmission slots for a non-orthogonal transmission and other transmission slots for an orthogonal transmission to at least one mobile station, for example, in an uplink transmission. At the same time, for example, a base station sector may assign both modes to different mobile stations during the same time slot. By selectively using time and frequency or code division multiplexing, the mobile station may reduce interference, or alternatively, introduce minimal interference associated with multiple mobile stations transmitting data simultaneously at a base station sector. The reduced interference may enhance a re ate throu h ut of the u link.