A method and apparatus for multiplexing a reference signal from a User Equipment (UE), not having any other signal transmission in the respective Transmission Time Interval (TTI), with a reference signal from another UE also having data transmission in the respective TTI, or with the control signal and reference signal from another UE transmitted in the respective TTI. The multiplexed reference signal from the UE not having any other signal transmission in the respective TTI can serve as a sounding reference signal to enable the serving base station to apply link adaptation to a subsequent signal transmitted by the UE or it can serve as a reference signal conveying state information, such as resource request or service request.