A method for managing serving cell changes in a communications system having a single radio link for downlink data transmission, comprising: maintaining an active set of pilot cells for receiving downlink data, the active set comprising a plurality of cells for soft handover, wherein the plurality of cells comprises an initial best cell (Cell A); starting a first timer (TTT 1d (B,A)) to monitor a first cell (Cell B) from the active set of pilot cells upon the first cell becoming stronger than the initial best cell, wherein the first timer corresponds to a first monitoring period for the first cell to be stronger than the initial best cell; starting a second timer (TTT 1d (C,A)) to monitor a second cell (Cell C) with respect to the initial best cell upon the second cell becoming stronger than the initial best cell, wherein the second timer corresponds to a second monitoring period for the second cell to be stronger than the initial best cell; starting a third timer (TTT 1d (C,B)) to monitor the second cell with respect to the first cell upon detecting that the second cell has become stronger than the first cell, wherein the third timer corresponds to a third monitoring period for the second cell to be stronger than the first cell. upon expiration of the first timer, designating the first cell as a new best cell if the first cell was stronger than the initial best cell for the first monitoring period; upon expiration of the second timer, designating the second cell as the new best cell if the second cell was stronger than the initial best cell for the second monitoring period and the first cell was not stronger than the initial best cell for the first monitoring period; and upon expiration of the third timer, designating the second cell as the new best cell if the second cell was stronger than the first cell for the third monitoring period. maintaining an active set of pilot cells for receiving downlink data, the active set comprising a plurality of cells for soft handover, wherein the plurality of cells comprises an initial best cell (Cell A); starting a first timer (TTT 1d (B,A)) to monitor a first cell (Cell B) from the active set of pilot cells upon the first cell becoming stronger than the initial best cell, wherein the first timer corresponds to a first monitoring period for the first cell to be stronger than the initial best cell; starting a second timer (TTT 1d (C,A)) to monitor a second cell (Cell C) with respect to the initial best cell upon the second cell becoming stronger than the initial best cell, wherein the second timer corresponds to a second monitoring period for the second cell to be stronger than the initial best cell; starting a third timer (TTT 1d (C,B)) to monitor the second cell with respect to the first cell upon detecting that the second cell has become stronger than the first cell, wherein the third timer corresponds to a third monitoring period for the second cell to be stronger than the first cell. upon expiration of the first timer, designating the first cell as a new best cell if the first cell was stronger than the initial best cell for the first monitoring period; upon expiration of the second timer, designating the second cell as the new best cell if the second cell was stronger than the initial best cell for the second monitoring period and the first cell was not stronger than the initial best cell for the first monitoring period; and upon expiration of the third timer, designating the second cell as the new best cell if the second cell was stronger than the first cell for the third monitoring period.