Access terminals are adapted to regulate power in wireless receiver circuits. In one example, access terminals include a communications interface with at least one wireless receiver circuit. A processing circuit coupled with the communications interface can receive a transmission during a Frequency Correction Channel (FCCH) frame. Following the received transmission, at least a portion of the receiver circuit may be powered down. A determination may also be made whether the received transmission was reliable. The receiver circuit can subsequently be powered up, and another transmission can be received on a subsequent channel. When the received transmission was sufficiently reliable, the other transmission may be a transmission during a Synchronization Channel (SCH) frame. When the received transmission is not sufficiently reliable, the other transmission may be another transmission received during a subsequent Frequency Correction Channel (FCCH) frame. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.