Abstract: A method of setting the appropriate hysteresis for cells in a wireless telecommunication network in order to reduce the rate of oscillating handoffs arising from a routine mobile station handoff from an originating cell to a neighboring cell. The method includes measuring the received signal strength in the originating cell and the received signal strength of at least one neighboring cell. The hysteresis is calculated by applying a statistical operation, such as the standard deviation, to at least one of the received signal strengths. Alternatively, the hysteresis calculation may include the handoff oscillation rate. The calculated hysteresis value may be presented to the operator for manual adjustment or may be input into self-configuring cells for the dynamic adjustment of hysteresis levels to improve the network operating performance.

Abstract: A method and system for performing handoffs in radiocommunication systems using a time variable hysteresis value are described. By varying the hysteresis value in accordance with the amount of time that the mobile station has been using a current channel, problems associated with the measurement of signal strengths attributable to filter initialization can be avoided.