Method for segmented message transmission wherein each message is first divided into segments and the segments are fragmented. A segment parameter is applied to each segment, and a segment identifier to each fragment. The fragments are provided to a lower level for preparation into frames for transmission. One embodiment is applied to the transmission of short duration messages, such as control messages. A timer is used to detect an erasure within a plurality of transmission frames, wherein the timer uses an average inter-arrival time period between transmitted frames to determine a missing frame. In one embodiment, the time period is given as α*AIT, wherein a is a constant value, and AIT is the average inter-arrival time of frames.