Handoff in mobile communication

Handoff refers to a process of transferring an ongoing active call / data session from one channel to another channel network and it happens because there are several reasons like time slot, frequency band, code word, or combination of these for time-division multiple access (TDMA), frequency-division multiple access (FDMA), code-division multiple access(CDMA), or a hybrid scheme. Handoff is also called as ‘Handover’.

First Generation (1G), second Generation (2G) and third Generation (3G) mobile systems depended on the employment of the radio spectrum available for public use or licensed for use by a very small number of service providers and network operators in all regions. Differences in bandwidth and coverage areas have led to the necessity of developing.

What is handoff in mobile communication ?

The fourth generation wireless communications is expected to integrate a potentially large number of different wireless technologies in what could be considered a huge step forward toward universal wireless access. Even though fourth generation have vision of the new wireless technologies. Based on the emergent trends of mobile communication, 4G is having larger bandwidth, higher data rates, smoother and quicker handoff, and will focus on reducing faultless service and allowing seamless handoff across a multitude of wireless networks.

Handoff is the mechanism which transfers an ongoing call from Handoff from one cell to another cell as users are near to the coverage area of the neighbouring cell. If handoff does not perform quickly, the Quality of Service (QoS) will not provided to the acceptable level and the ongoing will ongoing call/data service connection will be lost.