Patent ID: 8374613

Claim:
A method of operating a wireless terminal in a cell which includes a base station which transmits at least two carrier signals at different power levels, said at least two carrier signals including a first carrier signal having a first carrier frequency and a second carrier signal having a second carrier frequency, the method comprising: operating said wireless terminal to communicate with said base station using said first carrier signal over a period of time; during said period of time, checking a plurality of said at least two carrier signals to determine channel interference associated with each of said at least two carrier signals; estimating by said wireless terminal, intersector channel interference due to transmissions from another sector of said base station; identifying at least one sector boundary carrier frequency based on said intersector channel interference; determining candidate carrier frequencies by considering traffic loading, power, and noise levels, wherein said candidate carrier frequencies exclude said at least one sector boundary carrier frequency; and initiating an intercarrier handoff based on the intersector channel interference, the intercarrier handoff occurring between carrier signals used by said base station, while said first carrier signal still provides a signal to noise ratio of at least 0 dB and another one of said carrier signals is subject to lower channel interference, wherein said intercarrier handoff involves a carrier signal having one of said candidate carrier frequencies.