The present invention, in illustrative embodiments, implements systems and methods for adjusting the timing of access requests in mobile communications systems, such as IS-95-A mobile telephone systems, to reduce the likelihood of request collisions—especially during periods of very high calling rates. These embodiments employ measurements of access channel occupancy, as well as system operator inputs, to develop thresholds and parameter translations at a base station. Execution of control algorithms at a base station advantageously yields modified persistence test parameters sent to mobile stations. When overload conditions are present, these modified parameters cause the mobile stations to experience variable delays through judicious control of persistence testing at the mobile stations.