One embodiment is directed to a method, apparatus, and/or computer program for reducing interference in a local area radio system. The method may include selecting, by a first network node, time/frequency resources to transmit data, transmitting request to send (RTS) bursts to a second network node on the selected resources, and listening for clear to send (CTS) bursts. The method may further include separating received clear to send bursts, decoding the clear to send bursts received from the second network node, determining whether data is allowed to be transmitted based on the received clear to send bursts, and transmitting the data to the second network node when it is determined that the data can be transmitted. The request to send and/or clear to send bursts may be encoded with orthogonal codes when there are multiple cells in a neighborhood of the first network node and/or the second network node.