One or more embodiments taught herein provide a hybrid access arrangement using a contention-based channel (40) and a scheduled channel (42) on a communication link (16). As a point of significant efficiency, given users (18) transmit autonomously on the contention-based channel (40), without need for scheduling overhead. However, if a contention overload occurs on the contention-based channel (40), the involved users are identified from unique signature sequences included in their user transmissions. The identified users are temporarily managed as scheduled users on the scheduled channel (42), which supplements the contention-based channel (40) and therefore may use limited communication link resources in comparison to the contention-based channel (40). Users not involved in the contention overload generally continue operating on the contention-based channel (40).