Abstract: In a method in a transceiver for selecting a communication parameter for communicating with a concentrated subscriber unit, wherein the concentrated subscriber unit includes a plurality of subscriber terminals, a subscriber terminal identification number of one of the subscriber terminals is determined. Next, N number of selected digits in the subscriber terminal identification number are set equal to predetermined values to produce a modified subscriber terminal identification number. the modified subscriber terminal identification number is then hashed using a hashing function to produce a communication parameter indicator. Finally the communication parameter is selected in response to the communication parameter indicator, wherein groups of subscriber terminal identification numbers having non-selected digits with the same value are hashed to produce the same communication parameter indicator. The communication parameter selected may be a carrier frequency used by the communications system.

Abstract: In a wireless communication system, which includes a first base site (101) having an associated controller (130) and a second base site (108), a mobile station (103) responsive to the first and second base site, a method for determining a need to hard handoff a mobile communication signal (107) associated with the mobile station from the first base site to the second base site is disclosed. The method includes receiving a plurality of hard handoff candidate parameters associated with the mobile communication signal, and then measuring a plurality of scan result parameters associated with the mobile communication signal by a handoff scan receiver (304). The method further includes forwarding the plurality of scan result parameters to the controller, and then determining whether or not a hard handoff of the mobile communication signal is required based on the scan result parameters.