The present invention provides systems and methods that enable a base station to consume less power. According to an embodiment of the invention, the base station reduces its power consumption by not continuously broadcasting control information. In such an embodiment, a mobile station that seeks access to a network to which the base station provides access does not search for broadcast control information prior to transmitting an access message to the base station, but rather simply transmits on a predetermined access channel an access request message. A base station that receives the access request message may unicast control information to the mobile station.