Patent ID: 8379550

Claim:
A wireless softswitch in a communication system, comprising: a memory block configured to store geographical coverage area information for each of a plurality of macrocell base stations, wherein the wireless softswitch is configured to communicate with the macrocell base stations and a femtocell device that is disposed in an area covered by a macrocell base station; and a control block configured to receive from the femtocell device a registration message for a mobile node, wherein the registration message is configured to prompt a handoff of the mobile node, and geographical location information for the femtocell device, without receiving an identifier for the macrocell base station such that, for the femtocell device, the handoff is independent of an air interface technology for the macrocell base station; to identify the macrocell base station based on the geographical location information for the femtocell device and the geographic coverage area information for each of the macrocell base stations stored in the memory block; and to forward the registration message for the mobile node to the identified macrocell base station.