A system and method for terminal access includes transmitting a paging message from a network to a terminal; determining, by the terminal, orthogonal code information which differs from the one being used for current system access according to a predetermined rule; acquiring by the terminal a corresponding orthogonal code according to the orthogonal code information and modulating an access probe according to the orthogonal code; and transmitting the access probe by the terminal to the network and performing network access. In the various embodiments, the terminal responding to the paging selects a unique access orthogonal code according to the method and system. According to various embodiments, conflicts are minimized as a result of using the same orthogonal code between the terminals responding to the paging and between the terminal responding to the paging and the terminal originating the call. Accordingly, latency in the response to paging may be reduced.