Introduction:
Mobility is the most important feature of a wireless cellular communication system. Usually, continuous service is achieved by supporting handoff (or handover) from one cell to another. Handoff is the process of changing the channel (frequency, time slot, spreading code, or combination of them) associated with the current connection while a call is in progress.
Soft Handoff in Mobile Communication
In first-generation cellular systems like the Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS), handoffs were relatively simple. Second-generation cellular systems like the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and the Personal Access Communication System (PACS) are superior to first-generation ones in many ways, including the handoff algorithms used. More sophisticated signal processing and handoff decision procedures have been incorporated in these systems. The control/decision structures have been improved so that in progressing from network-controlled toward mobile assisted handoffs (MAHO) or mobile-controlled handoffs (MCHO), the handoff decision delay has been substantially reduced. [Read more...]

