A communication system minimizes inter-cell interference and handover holes by providing for a user equipment (UE) to monitor downlink signals from a serving, boundary eNodeB and one or more neighbor eNodeBs, determine a signal quality metric (SQM) for each monitored signal to produce an SQM associated with each eNodeB, and determine a maximum uplink transmit power level (PMAX) for each eNodeB. Based on the determined SQMs and PMAXs, the UE determines a eNodeB of the one or more neighbor eNodeBs with a best SQM and, in response to determining that the neighbor eNodeB of the one or more neighbor eNodeBs with a best SQM is a high power eNodeB, determines a difference between the SQM associated with the high power ENodeB and the SQM associated with the boundary eNodeB. The UE then sets a PMAX for the UE based on the difference determination.