5 Handover initiation conditions

23.0093GPPHandover proceduresRelease 17TS

Handover may be initiated by the network based on RF criteria as measured by the MS or the Network (signal level, Connection quality, power level propagation delay) as well as traffic criteria (e.g. current traffic loading per cell, interference levels, maintenance requests, etc.).

In order to determine if a handover is required, due to RF criteria, it is typically the MS that shall take radio measurements from neighbouring cells. These measurements are reported to the serving cell on an event driven or regular basis. When a network determines a need for executing a handover the procedures given in 3GPP TS 48.008 [5], 3GPP TS 25.303 [13], 3GPP TS 25.331 [14] are followed.

The decision process used to determine when to perform soft handover or hard handover will typically differ. Depending on the support for soft or hard handover the Intra-MSC and Inter-MSC handover may differ.

In the case of an ongoing GSM voice group call (see 3GPP TS 43.068 [3]) the criteria described above shall only apply to the mobile station currently assigned the uplink and other users with a dedicated connection, no actions shall be taken for the listening users.