Systems and methods for extending a handover trigger point for a wireless device operating in a connected mode

A method for extending a handoff trigger point of a wireless device, the method comprising:

• instructing at least one wireless device operating in a coverage area of an access node to report a power class at the access node;
• calculating, at the access node, a power class delta for the at least one wireless device, the power class delta being calculated based on a difference of the reported power class of the at least one wireless device and a power class of a lower power class wireless device operating in the coverage area;
• applying the calculated power class delta to a set mobility handoff parameter;
• and
• adjusting a handoff trigger point for the at least one wireless device based on the set mobility handoff parameter.

A system for extending a handoff trigger point of a wireless device, the system comprising:

• a processing node;
• and
• a processor coupled to the processing node, the processor for enabling the processing node to perform operations comprising:
• instructing at least one wireless device operating in a coverage area of an access node to report a power class at the access node;
• calculating, at the access node, a power class delta for the at least one wireless device, the power class delta being calculated based on a difference of the reported power class of the at least one wireless device and a power class of a lower power class wireless device operating in the coverage area;
• applying the calculated power class delta to a set mobility handoff parameter;
• and
• adjusting a handoff trigger point for the at least one wireless device based on the set mobility handoff parameter.