Patent ID: RE44447

Claim:
A method comprising: in response to a mobile station initiated determination that switching of transmission of data packets should occur from a first site to a second site, the second site being selected by the mobile station via serving sector selection from an active set, receiving an invocation initiating a switching process from the mobile station, the invocation including an indication to a controller to indicate a desire to switch the transmission of data packets from the first site to the second site and maintaining the transmission of data packets through the first site during the switching process, the switching process having a duration that is network configured as a delay time period and having a start that is initiated by the mobile station upon receipt of the indication from the mobile station ; and switching the transmission of data packets from the first site to the second site once the switching process is completed, as determined by the controller in response to the indication, such that data packets are only transmitted from the first site during the switching process and from the second site when the switching process is completed.