To address the need for reducing wireless data transfer delay, an embodiment of this invention provides for a radio access network (RAN) (110) to transmit data, such as a data query, at the time of paging a dormant wireless unit (101). By transmitting the data at this time, wireless unit activity in response to the data can begin while the paging and traffic channel setup proceed. Thus, once established, the traffic channel will be idle for less time than under the present practice were data is not sent until the traffic channel setup is completed. Less idle traffic channel time is expected to improve channel utilization and contribute to lower packet data costs.