Supporting handovers in hybrid cell configuration environments

One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, comprising:

• determining that a user equipment (UE) is connected to a first shared cell operated in a shared cell operating mode or a first unique cell operated in a unique cell operating mode of a radio access network;
• and
• causing a handover for the UE to a second shared cell operated in the shared cell operating mode or a second unique cell operated in the unique cell operating mode of the radio access network based on whether the UE is connected to the first shared cell or the first unique cell, wherein the handover is performed between the first shared cell and the second shared cell or the handover is performed between the first unique cell and the second unique cell and causing the handover comprises:
• instructing the UE to report cell information for one or more neighbor cells;
• and
• configuring a neighbor relationship table based, at least in part, on the cell information reported by the UE, wherein the neighbor relationship table identifies whether each neighbor cell of the one or more neighbor cells is a shared cell operated in the shared cell operating mode or is a unique cell operated in the unique cell operating mode.

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one memory element for storing data;
• and
• at least one processor for executing instructions associated with the data, wherein executing the instructions causes the apparatus to perform operations, comprising:
• determining that a user equipment (UE) is connected to a first shared cell operated in a shared cell operating mode or a first unique cell operated in a unique cell operating mode of a radio access network;
• and
• causing a handover for the UE to a second shared cell operated in the shared cell operating mode or a second unique cell operated in the unique cell operating mode of the radio access network based on whether the UE is connected to the first shared cell or the first unique cell, wherein the handover is performed between the first shared cell and the second shared cell or the handover is performed between the first unique cell and the second unique cell and causing the handover comprises:
• instructing the UE to report cell information for one or more neighbor cells;
• and
• configuring a neighbor relationship table based, at least in part, on the cell information reported by the UE, wherein the neighbor relationship table identifies whether each neighbor cell of the one or more neighbor cells is a shared cell operated in the shared cell operating mode or is a unique cell operated in the unique cell operating mode.