An apparatus determines a transmission power of a signal transmitted by a user equipment (UE) in a cell that is identified by a virtual cell identifier. The apparatus generates a power control command based on the determined signal power, and transmits the power control command to a plurality of UEs. Subsequent to transmission of the power control command, the apparatus receives a plurality of transmissions from the plurality of UEs. Some of the transmissions have different transmission powers. The different transmission powers of the signals transmitted by the UEs are due to the power control command and a predefined power offset associated with each respective UE.