An unique arrangement including a so-called timing control order and timing control signals is employed to identify whether wireless terminals are reachable within a base station cell coverage area in a wireless communications system. To this end, detection of a particular wireless terminal being alive and well, and within the cell coverage area associated with a base station is effected by the base station transmitting a timing control order in a timing control time slot reserved for the particular wireless terminal. If the particular wireless terminal receives the timing control order, it transmits a prescribed timing control message at a prescribed time. If the base station does not receive the timing control message, it is an indication that communication with the particular wireless terminal has been lost.