Method and apparatus for simultaneous radio and mobile frequency transition via “handoff to self”

A method of radio frequency (RF) management in a cellular network, said method comprising:

• providing a mobile switching center;
• providing at least one base station controller operatively coupled to the mobile switching center;
• providing at least one base station operatively coupled to the at least one base station controller, the at least one base station for being operatively coupled with at least one mobile station via a first channel for carrying out at least one mobile communications call;
• providing a radio frequency manager operatively coupled to the at least one base station and in conjunction with the at least one mobile station;
• and
• managing a handoff upon the occurrence of a prescribed event, the handoff including using a handoff-to-self to switch directly from the first channel to a second channel via a simultaneous base station radio and mobile station frequency transition, wherein said mobile station remains operatively coupled via the second channel to said base station during and after the handoff to self.

A method for radio frequency transition using a handoff to self in a telecommunications network, said method comprising:

• establishing a call between a base station and a mobile station using a first communications channel at a first frequency;
• identifying a prescribed event signaling that the call should be transitioned from the first frequency to a second frequency;
• and
• establishing a second communications channel at the second frequency by simultaneously transitioning the base station and the mobile station to the second frequency, wherein the base station and the mobile station remain operatively coupled during the transition, the transition enabling the base station to handoff the call from the first frequency to the second frequency without using another base station.