A method carried out by a wireless terminal and comprising: A) receiving a first channel burst from a first base station on a wireless channel, wherein the first base station serves a first cell and wherein the first channel burst supports a data service; B) determining whether a serving signal quality associated with the first cell satisfies a handover criterion; C) in response to B), obtaining measurements associated with a list of candidate cells, wherein the list comprises at least one candidate cell and wherein each measurement gauges a corresponding signal quality that is provided by a corresponding candidate cell, wherein, if the wireless a terminal cannot complete obtaining the measurements before receiving a subsequent channel burst from the first base station, C) further comprises: i) suspending obtaining the measurements; ii) receiving the subsequent channel burst from the first base station; and iii) in response to ii), resuming obtaining the measurements; D) if a selected signal quality is acceptable, deciding to perform a handover to a selected candidate cell, wherein the selected candidate cell is a member of the list and wherein the selected signal quality corresponds to the selected candidate cell; E) after performing D), receiving a final channel burst from the first base station; and F) in response to E), performing the handover to the selected candidate cell and receiving a new channel burst from a selected candidate base station, wherein the selected candidate base station is serving the selected candidate cell. A) receiving a first channel burst from a first base station on a wireless channel, wherein the first base station serves a first cell and wherein the first channel burst supports a data service; B) determining whether a serving signal quality associated with the first cell satisfies a handover criterion; C) in response to B), obtaining measurements associated with a list of candidate cells, wherein the list comprises at least one candidate cell and wherein each measurement gauges a corresponding signal quality that is provided by a corresponding candidate cell, wherein, if the wireless a terminal cannot complete obtaining the measurements before receiving a subsequent channel burst from the first base station, C) further comprises: i) suspending obtaining the measurements; ii) receiving the subsequent channel burst from the first base station; and iii) in response to ii), resuming obtaining the measurements; i) suspending obtaining the measurements; ii) receiving the subsequent channel burst from the first base station; and iii) in response to ii), resuming obtaining the measurements; D) if a selected signal quality is acceptable, deciding to perform a handover to a selected candidate cell, wherein the selected candidate cell is a member of the list and wherein the selected signal quality corresponds to the selected candidate cell; E) after performing D), receiving a final channel burst from the first base station; and F) in response to E), performing the handover to the selected candidate cell and receiving a new channel burst from a selected candidate base station, wherein the selected candidate base station is serving the selected candidate cell.