When a mobile user moves from one cell to another (i.e. changes its cell), EARLIER channels are required to be disconnected and new channels have to be allocated by the new cell. A process must be there to AVOID call drop due to low minimum USABLE power of the Mobile Station. This process is called handoff or handover. There are two types of handoffs – Soft (in which new connection is established before disconnecting the previous one thus is more efficient but more costly, mostly used for cell phone calls) and Hard (in which connection from previous cell is disconnected before establishing a connection with the new cell. More AFFORDABLE but is used for the services that can allow slight delays, such as mobile broad BAND internet).

When a mobile user moves from one cell to another (i.e. changes its cell), earlier channels are required to be disconnected and new channels have to be allocated by the new cell. A process must be there to avoid call drop due to low minimum usable power of the Mobile Station. This process is called handoff or handover. There are two types of handoffs – Soft (in which new connection is established before disconnecting the previous one thus is more efficient but more costly, mostly used for cell phone calls) and Hard (in which connection from previous cell is disconnected before establishing a connection with the new cell. More affordable but is used for the services that can allow slight delays, such as mobile broad band internet).