When a mobile moves into a different cell while a conversation is in progress, the MSC automatically transfers the call to a new channel belonging to the new base station. This process of transferring call to a new base station is called as Hand off.

Types:

1. Soft Handoff
2. Hard handoff
3. Delayed handoff
4. Queued handoff
5. C/I handoff
6. Mobile assissted handoff

Soft Hand off (Operational Procedure):

• The handoff from CDMA cell to CDMA cell at the same CDMA frequency is called soft hand off.
• There is no need to change from one frequency to another frequency but change from one code to another code.
• The ability to select between the instantaneous received signals from a variety of base stations in a CDMA system is called soft hand off.