A method and apparatus for controlling uplink transmit power with optimum delay is described. A transmit power control command may be received. A time slot of the transmit power control command may be determined. Based on the time slot, it may be determined to decode the transmit power control command, with a delay. The transmit power control command may be decoded, after the delay, using a transmit power control command decoding graph by determining a strength of the transmit power control command and plotting the strength on the transmit power control command decoding graph. The transmit power control command decoding graph may include regions. Decoding the transmit power control command, after the delay, may be based on a region associated with plotting the strength of the transmit power control command.