In a radio communication system having a primary station and plurality of secondary stations, power of uplink and downlink channels between the primary station and a secondary station is controlled in a closed loop manner by each station transmitting power control commands to the other station. Responsive to these commands receiving station adjusts its output power in steps. By considering a plurality of received power control commands receiving station may emulate the ability to use power control step sizes other than those it directly implements, for example step sizes smaller than its minimum or intermediate between implemented step sizes. Performance can thereby be improved under certain channel conditions. In one embodiment when required power control step size is less than the minimum step size of the receiving station, that station processes a group of power control commands to determine whether to adjust its output power by its minimum step size.