Patent ID: 7257404

Claim:
A method for handing off a call between a mobile station and a first, anchor base station to a second, target base station, the first base station associated with a local cordless service and the second base station associated with a macro-cellular service, said first anchor and second target base stations being connected to a line side of a same digital communications switch, and said method comprising: the first, anchor base station sending a call handoff request to the second, target base station, wherein the handoff request includes at least one of a priority list of base stations served by a network service platform and an identifier of the mobile station, and wherein the first, anchor base station sending a call handoff request to the second, target base station includes: the first, anchor base station sending the call handoff request to said network server platform (NSP); the NSP checking for channel availability of other base stations as set forth in a priority list of base stations, wherein the second, target base station is defined as the base station of highest priority having channel availability; the NSP sending the handoff request to the second, target base station; the second, target base station connecting with the mobile station, simultaneous with a connection between said mobile station and said first, anchor base station via said line side of said digital communications switch; and the first, anchor base station releasing a connection with the mobile station.