A method and device for controlling resources to avoid congestion in a cellular radio system having a mobile terminal connectable to a network via one or more base stations. When the mobile terminal sends an uplink signal, each base station receives a different uplink signal due to different radio paths between the mobile terminal and the base station. A resulting signal corresponding to the uplink signal sent from the mobile terminal is derived from the received signals, and the importance of each received signal to the resulting signal is determined. If there is a shortage or a projected shortage of resources to handle current or projected traffic demand in the base station, downlink radio links from the base station to the mobile terminal are prioritized according to the determined importance of each received uplink signal, and resources are freed from lower priority downlink radio links to avoid congestion.