An apparatus and method of detecting whether data exists in a received signal while a mobile communication terminal is in discontinuous transmission mode. The apparatus and method comprises generating and transmitting a forward power control command for providing the forward power control, and performing forward power control in a mobile communication system. According to the forward power control method, a power control command is generated based on a received frame including a plurality of slots each of which includes power control bits. The ratio of the power control bit energy to noise energy, which is given by a ratio of the accumulated energy of the power control bits in the slots of the received frame to an accumulated energy value of noise in the slots of the received frame, is provided, and the power control command based on a ratio of the accumulated energy value of traffic symbol bits in the slots to the accumulated energy value of the power control bits is generated when the provided ratio of the power control bits to noise is acceptable.