A system and method for improved data transmission in a WDCT frame structure. A transmission slot in a WDCT frame of conventional size is configured for transmission of data bits having substantially smaller data bit width than used in conventional WDCT frames. A user data field is configured to transmit a larger data payload by including more bits within the user data field. In one implementation, the user data field is configured for transmission of multiple copies of a voice data packet at the same rate as single data packets are transmitted in a conventional WDCT frame structure. In another implementation, a non-voice data transmission rate is increased by more than a factor of two over conventional WDCT frame structure.