A method of operating a decentralized ad-hoc wireless network including wireless stations, comprises establishing a common time reference which is used by the wireless stations to share access to a common wireless channel, the common time reference having a periodic superframe structure including a Scheduled Beacon Period, a Contended Beacon Period, Contention Periods (CPs) and Contention Free Periods (CFPs). The method further comprises time-scheduling, using wireless communication between the wireless stations, the CFPs in the SBTT interval to at least some of the wireless stations requesting access to the CFPs, and granting access to the CPs to at least some of the wireless stations requesting access to the CPs.