To address the need for a resource allocation scheme that results in a better tradeoff between the cell-edge performance and the overall spectral efficiency, a communication system is provided that allocates uplink transmit power to user equipment (UEs) based on a fractional power control scheme. In another embodiment, since the cell-edge users are also likely to be power limited, the communication system may implement a minimized uplink transmission bandwidth resource allocation scheme that may work with the fractional power control scheme to achieve a level of performance desired for uplink transmissions in 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) and 3GPP2 Evolution communication systems.