A method, apparatus and computer program product for providing a prioritized MAC protocol for a WLAN or wireless mesh using a time filtering technique wherein a time limit (Advanced Interval For Reservation or AIFR) is imposed on the time prior to the expiration of data channel's NAV when a data channel is considered ‘almost idle’. The same AIFR limit applies to all CC-RTS of the same priority, and a higher priority CC-RTS will have a longer AIFR.