HANDOVER BETWEEN RADIO NETWORKS

摘要

A communication system (100) comprises a first radio network supporting a first air interface standard and a second radio network supporting a second air interface standard. The second radio network comprises a network interface (401) which receives a handover request message from the first radio network to hand over a remote station (101) to the second network. A handover preference processor (405) receives a handover preference message for the remote station (101). The handover preference message comprises a preference indication for a radio network for the remote station (101). A load processor (409) determines a load indication for the second radio network and a load threshold processor (407) determines a handover load threshold for the remote station in response to the preference indication. A handover evaluation processor (403) determines whether to accept the handover in response to a comparison of the load indication and the handover load threshold. The invention may allow improved handovers in multi-air interface standard communication systems.