A method of power control in a 3G wireless communication system (100) incorporating fast forward power control, may include setting an initial base station transmit power boundary (402) and an initial signal-to-noise ratio boundary (502). A mobile station (102) may send a forward link FER measurement to a base station (106). The base station may perform at least one of a base station transmit power boundary adjustment (403) and a mobile station signal-to-noise ratio boundary adjustment (503) based on the forward link FER measurement received from the mobile station, thereby imposing dynamic constraints on the fast forward power control operation.