Abstract: A method for a radiotelephone to scan for service in a radiotelephone system having a plurality of carriers within a corresponding geographic area includes establishing (202) a list of a predetermined number of carriers having the strongest signal strengths from cells proximate to the cell where the radiotelephone is camped. A next step includes determining (206) those proximate carriers from the list that are unsuitable for reselection by the radiotelephone. A next step includes scanning (208) for other suitable carriers within the area to substitute for those unsuitable carriers found in the determining step. A next step includes modifying (212) the list to include those suitable carriers found in the scanning step.

Abstract: A method, and associated apparatus, predicts the likelihood of successful effectuation of handover in a cellular communication system. Handover is permitted only if the predicted likelihood is at least as great as a minimum threshold. If the predicted likelihood is less than the minimum threshold, a request is made to increase the coding rate of control signals used pursuant to the handover procedure. Handover is permitted only when the likelihood of success is predicted to be high. Thereby, the possibility of loss of communications during handover procedures is reduced.