System and Method for Supporting Bandwidth Requests in a Handover

A method for serving controller operations, the method comprising:

• receiving a first message from a mobile station, the first message comprising an incremental bandwidth request;
• transmitting a second message to a target controller, the second message comprising a bandwidth request based on the incremental bandwidth request;
• transmitting a third message to the mobile station, the third message comprising a response to the first message;
• and
• participating in a handover with the target controller and the mobile station.

A method for target controller operations, the method comprising:

• receiving a first message, wherein the first message comprises a total bandwidth requirement for a mobile station;
• receiving a second message, wherein the second message comprises a bandwidth request;
• allocating carriers based on the bandwidth request and the total bandwidth requirement for the mobile station;
• transmitting a third message, wherein the third message comprises an indication of the allocated carriers;
• and
• participating in a handover.

A communications device comprising:

• a transmitter configured to transmit a first message, wherein the first message comprises an incremental bandwidth request;
• a receiver coupled to the transmitter, the receiver configured to receive a second message responsive to the first message, wherein the second message comprises an indicator indicating that a target controller has allocated resources at least equal to a total bandwidth required by a mobile station;
• and
• a handover unit coupled to the transmitter and to the receiver, the handover unit configured to initiate a handover with the target controller and a serving controller.