METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMPROVING NETWORK RESOURCE UTILIZATION IN A CELLULAR COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

摘要

A hierarchically structured cellular network is disclosed. When an active mobile station requests a service that requires the use of a network resourc e not available in the cell handling the ongoing call (or, alternatively, duri ng call set up), the network checks for cells on the higher levels to determine if the required resource is available. If the resource is available in a higher level cell, the call is handed over to that cell and the resource is allocated to the call. The call can be maintained in the higher level cell until the resource is no longer needed, or a "better" cell capable of providing the required resource is found.