Handover delay reduction operating in a cell using unlicensed spectrum

A wireless communication device configured to operate in a cellular communication system and to operate in a cell using an unlicensed spectrum, the wireless communication device comprising:

• a receiver configured to:
• receive a downlink (DL) signal from a first network node operating a neighboring cell operating in the unlicensed spectrum, the DL signal comprising a discovery reference signal (DRS) subframe;
• and
• receive a handover command on a handover from a second network node operating a serving cell to a target cell, the neighbouring cell being the target cell;
• and
• a processor in communication with the receiver and configured to, upon receiving the handover command by the receiver, perform a random access procedure for handover to the target cell, the processor being further configured to perform the random access procedure directly based on data associated with the DRS subframe without trying to receive the target cell DRS after the reception of the handover command.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising instructions which, when executed on a processor of a wireless communication device, causes the wireless communication device to:

• receive a downlink (DL) signal from a first network node operating a neighboring cell operating in an unlicensed spectrum, the DL signal comprising a discovery reference signal (DRS) subframe;
• receive a handover command from a second network node operating a serving cell where the neighboring cell is a target cell;
• and
• perform a random access procedure for handover to the target cell, the performing of the random access procedure being performed directly after the reception of the handover command based on data associated with the DRS subframe without trying to receive the periodically provided target cell DRS.