Methods and systems for coordinated multipoint (comp) enabled handover in wireless communication networks

A communication device to perform Coordinated Multipoint (CoMP) handover in a wireless communication network, the communication device comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• detect a User Equipment (UE) handover trigger based on an aggregate throughput for each Data Radio Bearers (DRBs) in each CoMP link between the UE and each Neighboring Base Stations (NBS) in a set of NBSs, the UE being in communication with a Serving Base Station (SBS) and each NBS in the set of NBSs through a set of active CoMP links;
• rank each NBS based on handover potential of each NBS in the set of NBSs;
• and
• select a target NBS from the set of NBSs for UE handover based on the ranking and UE support capability information associated with each NBS, wherein a subset of the set of active CoMP links is migrated to the target NBS during the UE handover.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to perform Coordinated Multipoint (CoMP) handover in a wireless communication network, cause the computing device to:

• detect a UE handover trigger based on an aggregate throughput for each Data Radio Bearers (DRBs) in each CoMP link between the UE and each Neighboring Base Stations (NBS) in a set of NBSs, the UE being in communication with a Serving Base Station (SBS) and each NBS in the set of NBSs through a set of active CoMP links;
• rank each NBS based on handover potential of each NBS in the set of NBSs;
• and
• select a target NBS from the set of NBSs for UE handover based on the ranking and UE support capability information associated with each NBS, wherein a subset of the set of active CoMP links is migrated to the target NBS during the UE handover.