Toolbox for ITTopicsWikiEdit this pageDiscuss this pagePage historyInvite Peers(12)Parent Categories: Digital Communication | Wireless TechnologyMajor Editors: akshaya bhatia stevetuf ITtoolboxWiki5 All EditorsHard handoffupdated Nov 25, 2008 11:56 pm | 19,582 views[edit]About Hard handoffIn a mobile cellular communication network, a Hard handoff (or Hard handover) is a typical Handoff mechanism in a communication network which is designed to work by first breaking off from the initial connection with a base station before switching to another base station. This is done in order to retain communications in a session for mobile users after incurring a non perceptible and insignificant brief interruption. A Hard handoff is also referred to as Break-before-Make handover.A brief break off before establishing connection with another base station is referred to as an "event interruption" and is characteristically too short to be even noticed by users communicating on their mobile devices. Although it is noticeable as a short beep in analog communication systems, it is practicably not identifiable by a mobile device user in set up of digital communication. Also, at any moment in time, a Hard handoff is typically implemented on a single channel of communication. A Hard handoff is relatively cheaper and easier to implement in comparison to another type of Handoff called Soft handoff or Make-before-Break handover.[edit]Applications of a Hard handoffA Hard handoff can be practically employed with more efficiency in FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access) and TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) network access systems, because in these systems channel interference is minimized since different frequency ranges are used from adjacent channels. Mostly CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access)-based technologies employ Soft handoffs.A Hard handoff mechanism is particularly suitable for delay-tolerant communication traffic such as in broadband technology-enabled Internet, VoIP, mobile networking technology such as mobile WiMax. Broadband Internet access and emailing are more efficient and reliable when a Hard handoff mechanism is used.