Systems and methods for controlling congestion in a cellular communication system (20) are provided. A method includes measuring an inter-arrival time for a plurality of communication packets in at least one user equipment within the communication cell and calculating an average value for the measured inter-arrival times (102). The method further includes determining the average value over each of a plurality of time periods and identifying a congestion condition when the determined average value exceeds a predetermined value over the plurality of time periods (104, 106).