Abstract: A method for allowing a mobile station to find a code transmitted by a base station which has a propagation delay to the mobile station which is much larger or smaller than a propagation delay between the mobile station and a base station from which it derived a time reference is provided. In the context of IS-95, a PN offset is sent to the mobile station to identify which target base station pilot signals to search for. By sending a virtual PN offset which differs from the real PN offset, the mobile station can find the target base station signals where normally they would fall outside the mobile station's search window.

Abstract: A wireless communication system provides wireless service to a mobile unit operating within a service area and includes a mobile switching center, at least one base station controller, a first plurality of base stations and a second plurality of base stations. The first plurality of base stations couple to the at least one base station controller and operate on a first carrier frequency. The second plurality of base stations couple to the at least one base station controller and operate on a second carrier frequency. The mobile switching center and the at least one base station controller operate to assign the mobile unit to at least one of the first plurality of base stations or at least one of the second plurality of base stations based upon available base station capacities. The wireless communication system may operate according to a code division multiple access protocol.