Abstract: In a CDMA cellular radiotelephone system, a soft handoff (SHO) is performed when a mobile station communicates with a new inter-generation base station, without interrupting communications with the old base station. Currently, a SHO can only be used between CDMA channels having identical frequency assignments and within the same system generation (i.e., 2G2G, or 3G3G, where 2G is a second generation system, and 3G is a third generation system). The proposed IS-2000 standard for a 2G3G handoff is a hard handoff or “Break-Before-Make” procedure, which greatly reduces the quality of service (QOS). The present invention allows for SHO between second and third generation CDMA systems (2G 3G and 3G2G), by modifying the proposed messaging structure. This provides a smooth service transition when a mobile station travels from one service area (i.e., 2G), to another service area (i.e., 3G), using the SHO or “Make-Before-Break” approach.