A base station of a code division, multiple access (CDMA) telecommunications system employs scheduling of data transmission signals to corresponding user transceivers in down-link channels of a data network. One or more user transceivers may be in communication with a base station within a cell, and each user may have a minimum data rate requirement. In accordance with the present invention, the scheduling of user data transmission follows the constraints that 1) each base station transmits to user transceivers one at a time, and 2) the base station uses full available power for the down-link channel when transmitting (for data networks only). Given a data network of users, the method of scheduling and data rates may be modeled in accordance with a linear programming problem optimized according to a predefined criterion. In addition, the present method may be employed in a hybrid CDMA/time-share system to reduce power of data channels in communication with user transceivers near the base station. A continuum of rates may be achieved based on the system signal to interference ratio (S/I). The error rate requirement of a user's down-link channel may be met provided the S/I of the channel is greater than a predetermined threshold value.