A method and apparatus for controlling uplink transmission powers of mobile stations in the cellular system are disclosed. Because mobile stations have inherent limitations and output power dynamic range, one mobile station which migrates very close to a common base station may be instructed to reduce its transmission power level to an amount which is less than the inherent mobile station minimum output power threshold. If the mobile station does not reduce power, it dominates neighboring mobile stations, causing other mobile stations which are operating within acceptable parameters to be dropped in favor of the dominating mobile station. The present invention provides a method and apparatus for removing an offending mobile station transmission until a path loss increases to the point that the offending mobile station can operate within acceptable reception power levels by transmitting at its inherent minimum power level.