1. In a mobile communication device, a method of beginning a data communication between the mobile communication device and a communication network, the method comprising: selecting between a plurality of alternative medium access techniques for the data communication; waiting a period of time that is at least as long as a predetermined time period and determining that a wireless communication channel is available for communication; after said waiting and determining, attempting, over the wireless communication channel, to initiate data communication to the communication network; determining whether the attempt to initiate data communication to the communication network was successful by, at least in part, receiving a message from the communication network indicating that the mobile communication device is to wait for another message from the communication network before communicating data to the communication network; and if the attempt to initiate data communication to the communication network was successful, then transmitting a series of packets to the communication network, where each two consecutive packet transmissions are separated by no more than the predetermined time period.