Point-to-point protocol (PPP) negotiation in a wireless communication system between e.g. a mobile station (MS) and a packet data service node (PDSN). The MS sends to the PDSN a link control protocol option designated option X that identifies a user profile including at least one pre-negotiated PPP parameter. If the PDSN supports the user profile and the at least one parameter, it acknowledges this. In response, the MS acknowledges its acceptance. Then each node sets a state machine in accordance with the user profile. If the PDSN supports the user profile but not one or more of the at least one parameter, it sends a negative-acknowledgment identifying a second, acceptable user profile. If the PDSN does not support the user profile, it rejects the first user profile and a full PPP negotiation is performed without reference to any of the pre-stored user profiles.