A multimode wireless access terminal is configured to operate in idle mode while registered with a plurality of radio access technologies, for example, a TD-SCDMA network and a WCDMA network, and monitor paging messages, with a reduced likelihood of paging conflicts and missed calls. If the paging conflict is seen at a particular cell, then a cell reselection to another cell may be utilized to change the cell and avoid the conflict. Because the probability of a paging conflict is small due to the short duration of paging indicator messages, the access terminal may have very infrequent paging indicator monitoring conflicts, and when conflicts actually do occur, it is very likely that the UE will find a neighbor cell without conflict.