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handoff - technical definition

The process by which a cellular radio network transfers a call as the mobile station (MS) moves out of the range of one base station (BS) in one cell and into the range of another base station in another cell. A hard handoff is one in which the connection is briefly broken by the first base station before being re-established by the second. This technique is known as break and make. A soft handoff is one in which the connection is established by the second base station before being broken by the first.This technique is known as make and break. See also BS, cellular radio, MS, and radio.

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Switching a cellular phone call from one radio channel to another. Also called "handover," it mostly occurs when a mobile user travels into the range of an adjacent cell. However, when there is excessive interference on a radio channel, switching can occur within the same cell.

The handoff can be managed within the base station; the base station controller (BSC) that manages several base stations; or the mobile switching center (MSC) that sets up and tears down the calls. The switch typically takes place in about a quarter second so that the caller is unaware of it.

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