The invention relates to a method and apparatus for setting pilot signal transit powers in a CDMA system. Subscriber units (211,213,215) perform pilot signal measurement measurements and transmits these to a receiver (603). A processor (605) determines a ranking factor for each cell (217, 219,221) at least partly dependent on the pilot signal measurement and a cell overlap condition of the subscriber unit (211, 213, 215) during measurements. The processor (605) ranks the cells (217,219,221) according to the ranking factor, and sets the pilot signal transmit power of at least one cell in response to the ranking of the cells by adjusting a power amplifier (609). The cell overlap condition is determined as the handover state of the subscriber unit (211,213,215) or as the number of cells, which can be received by the subscriber unit (211,213,215) during the measurement The invention is applicable to 3rd generation cellular communication systems.