A method for providing an assignment acknowledgement is provided. The method comprises: decoding forward link control channel data blocks according to parameters provided by an overhead channel message; receiving forward link packet data at an access terminal (AT) via a data channel; identifying an offset which defines that a certain number of subpackets of the packet data have been transmitted before the assignment acknowledgement is to be transmitted; and transmitting the assignment acknowledgement according to the offset to indicate successful decoding of one of the control channel data blocks only if the packet data has not been acknowledged.