What is disclosed is a method of operating a wireless communication system. The method includes wirelessly transferring overhead information to a wireless communication device using a first overhead message type that is repeatedly transferred during repeating overhead time periods. The method also includes obtaining new overhead information for the wireless communication device, where if the new overhead information will fit within the first overhead message type during a subsequent one of the repeating overhead time periods, wirelessly transferring the new overhead information to the wireless communication device using the first overhead message type in the subsequent one of the repeating overhead time periods, and if the new overhead information will not fit within the first overhead message type during the subsequent one of the repeating overhead time periods, wirelessly transferring a notice for a second overhead message type to the wireless communication device using the first overhead message type in the subsequent one of the repeating overhead time periods, and wirelessly transferring the new overhead information to the wireless communication device using the second overhead message type.