This paper discusses the possibility of using the Packet Reservation Multip
le Access (PRMA) protocol to provide spatially dispersed voice and data use
r terminals wireless access to a base station over a common short-range rad
io channel. The case of ideal radio channel propagation conditions as well
as that of non-ideal and non-stationary radio channel propagation condition
s is considered. A modified PRMA (MPRMA) protocol is proposed in order to e
nhance system performance under heavy traffic load conditions. A technique
to break off the possibility of accessing the common radio channel by a dat
a user terminal is also discussed to avoid unsuccessful transmission of dat
a packets during poor channel conditions. Performance comparisons with the
standard PRMA protocol clearly point out a better behavior for the proposed
MPRMA protocol.