A method for neighbor cell interference estimation in the UpLink of a CDMA communication system comprises obtaining measurements of an uplink received total wideband power (RTWP) and obtaining measurements of a load utilization of the uplink. At least a sum of the neighbor cell interference power and the noise power floor as well as a load utilization probability are jointly estimated from the measurements of an uplink RTWP and the measurements of a load utilization of the uplink. A thermal noise power floor is monitored by performing a running estimate of a long-time average uplink wideband power, preferably an estimated thermal noise power floor level or an operational level of the RTWP. A subset of the states of the estimation is selected, comprising only all states of the estimation that are associated with powers. The states of the selected subset and quantities associated therewith are scaled with a scaling factor. The scaling factor depends on the running estimate.