A method and apparatus for reducing access delay in push-to-talk (PTT) over Cellular (PoC) communication sessions is provided in a wireless communication device (120) including a quality level controller (230) which controls the quality level at which the transmit talkburst controller (226) provides talkbursts to transmitter circuitry (206). A processor (208) signals the quality level controller (230) and the transmit talkburst controller (226) to provide a first talkburst to the transmitter circuitry (206) for transmitting at a first quality level (310), and thereafter signals the quality level controller (230) to adjust the quality level from the first quality level to a second quality level (314) so that the transmit talkburst controller (226) will provide at least one subsequent talkburst to the transmitter circuitry (206) for transmitting at the second quality level (316).