A method and apparatus to manage interference in a multi-cellular network is disclosed. This approach uses downlink power control to allow a serving femto access point of a plurality of femto access points to transmit signals at a first power level to ensure a quality of service level of a service provided to a first plurality of mobile stations served by the plurality of femto access points. This approach also uses the downlink power control to adjust a power level of the signals transmitted by a serving femto access point of the plurality of the femto access points to manage interference caused by the serving femto access point on a second plurality of mobile stations served by one or more macro base stations.