An improvement to a code-division-multiple-access (CDMA) system employing spread-spectrum modulation, with the CDMA system having a base station (BS) and a plurality of remote stations. The base station has a BS-spread-spectrum transmitter and a BS-spread-spectrum receiver. A remote station has an RS-spread-spectrum transmitter and an RS-spread-spectrum receiver. The BS transmitter transmits a broadcast common-synchronization channel, which includes a frame-timing signal. The broadcast common-synchronization channel has a common chip-sequence signal, which is common to the plurality of remote stations. In response to the RS-spread-spectrum receiver receiving the broadcast common-synchronization channel, and determining frame timing from the frame-timing signal, an RS-spread-spectrum transmitter transmits an access-burst signal, which includes, RS-power-control signals, transmitted in time, at increasing power levels. The BS-spread-spectrum transmitter, responsive to the BS-spread-spectrum receiver receiving the access-burst signal, and detecting an RS-preamble signal, transmits an acknowledgment signal. In response to the first RS-spread-spectrum receiver receiving the acknowledgment signal, the first RS-spread-spectrum transmitter transmits a spread-spectrum signal having data. The BS-spread-spectrum transmitter transmits either data or power-control information to the RS-spread-spectrum receiver.