In a method of avoiding multiple detection of the same random access channel (RACH) preamble in a wireless communication system, and within a given set of access slots, a given sub-set of available preamble signatures corresponding to a RACH preamble of a user may be detected, so as to avoid multiple RACH preamble detection in a given access slot. Another method may be directed to switching operations of a base station in a communication network. Base station operations may be switched back and forth between multi-sector/single cell operations and single sector/multi-cell operations without changing an existing antenna configuration.