The present invention provides a method for implementation in a first functional entity in a wireless communication system that includes a first plurality of base stations for providing wireless connectivity to at least one mobile unit. In one embodiment of the method includes receiving, at the first functional entity, channel state information associated with a plurality of wireless communication channels between the first plurality of base stations and the mobile unit. Selection of a second plurality of base stations from the first plurality of base stations is performed jointly with resource allocation to the second plurality of base stations using the channel state information. The first functional entity then communicates information indicative of the selected second plurality of base stations and the allocated resources to the selected second plurality of base stations.