Method and apparatus for providing a downlink performance benefit in a communications system

1. A method of realizing a performance benefit at a subscriber unit in a communications system with controlled performance, the method including:

receiving a downlink signal;

determining a performance metric corresponding to the downlink signal that complies with air interface requirements for the communications system;

reporting said performance metric; and

processing the downlink signal to provide a received signal having an improved performance metric.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving said downlink signal includes receiving a code division multiple access signal.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said downlink signal has a power such that said performance metric corresponds to 1% frame error rate.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining said performance metric corresponding to the downlink signal that complies with air interface requirements for the communications system is performed in parallel with said processing the downlink signal to provide a received signal having an improved performance metric.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said receiving said downlink signal and said determining said performance metric corresponding to the downlink signal use a first receiver front end and a first decoder and said processing the downlink signal use said first receiver front end and a second receiver front end with outputs that are combined and decoded to provide said received signal having an improved performance metric.

6. The method of claim 1 further using one of a joint detection decoder and pilot interference cancellation to provide said received signal having said improved performance metric.

7. The method of claim 1 further including determining said performance metric to exceed the air interface requirements but not be equal to said improved performance metric.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein toll charges associated with service from the communications system are inversely correlated to the degree that said performance metric approaches said improved performance metric.

9. A subscriber unit arranged and constructed for realizing a performance benefit in a communications system with controlled performance, the subscriber unit comprising:

a receiver for receiving a downlink signal;

a processor coupled to the receiver for determining a performance metric corresponding to the downlink signal that complies with air interface requirements for the communications system;

a transmitter for reporting said performance metric on an uplink channel; and

a receiver processor for processing the downlink signal to provide a received signal having an improved performance metric.

10. The subscriber unit of claim 9 wherein said receiver for receiving said downlink signal is further receiving a code division multiple access signal.

11. The subscriber unit of claim 10 wherein said downlink signal has a power such that said performance metric corresponds to 1% frame error rate.

12. The subscriber unit of claim 9 wherein said processor for determining said performance metric corresponding to the downlink signal operates in parallel with said receiver processor for processing the downlink signal to provide a received signal having an improved performance metric.

13. The subscriber unit of claim 12 wherein said receiver for receiving said downlink signal and said processor for determining said performance metric corresponding to the downlink signal use a first receiver front end and a first decoder and said receiver processor for processing the downlink signal uses said first receiver front end and a second receiver front end with outputs that are combined and decoded to provide said received signal having an improved performance metric.

14. The subscriber unit of claim 9 wherein said receiver processor further uses one of a joint detection decoder and pilot interference cancellation to provide said received signal having said improved performance metric.

15. The subscriber unit of claim 9 further including determining said performance metric to exceed the air interface requirements but not be equal to said improved performance metric.

16. The subscriber unit of claim 9 wherein toll charges associated with service from the communications system are inversely correlated to the degree that said performance metric approaches said improved performance metric.

17. A method of realizing a performance benefit in a system with controlled performance, the benefit due to a subscriber unit having improved performance, the method comprising:

receiving, from the subscriber unit, a performance metric selected from the group consisting of a first performance metric corresponding to a downlink signal that complies with air interface requirements for the communications system and a second performance metric corresponding to said downlink signal that exceeds said air interface requirements for the communications system; and

adjusting a transmit power to a first level for said downlink signal when said gust performance metric is received and to a second level that is less than said first level when said second performance metric is received,

wherein said second performance metric is selected between said first performance metric and an improved performance metric according to the tolls associated with said second performance metric, thereby improving capacity for the system.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said second performance metric is less than an improved performance metric that the subscriber unit is capable of, thereby improving the subscriber unit performance.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said second performance metric is provided by the subscriber unit at the discretion of a user.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein said second performance metric is provided pursuant to terms and conditions of a service agreement.