Apparatus, methods and computer program products in a wireless communications system provide an enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH) for use by user equipment operating in the wireless communications system for use in conjunction with the random access procedure. The user equipment has circuitry to request a HS random access channel and, in response to receiving an assignment from a Node B of a dedicated mode channel for use as the random access channel, to send uplink data in a random access fashion over the assigned dedicated mode channel while receiving feedback from the Node B over at least one downlink L1 feedback channel. The Node B has circuitry to assign to the UE the dedicated mode channel for use as the random access channel, to receive uplink data in a random access fashion over the assigned dedicated mode channel, and to send feedback information to the UE over at least one downlink L1 feedback channel.