Optimization of non-optimized handoff from a first access technology to a second access technology

A user equipment, UE, including at least a transmitter and a receiver which are configured to take part in a non-optimized handoff from a first network having a plurality of nodes based on a first access technology to a second network having a plurality of nodes based on a second access technology, the UE comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory that stores processor-executable instructions where the processor interfaces with the memory and executes the processor-executable instructions to perform the following operations:
• initiating a traffic channel acquisition procedure by instructing the transmitter to send a connection request message as payload in a reverse data over signaling, DOS, message to one of the nodes in the second network, wherein the traffic channel acquisition procedure involves setting-up a traffic channel with the one node in the second network;
• initiating a packet data network, PDN, connection setup procedure by instructing the transmitter to send another configuration request message as payload in another reverse DOS message to another one of the nodes in the second network, wherein the another one node in the second network has maintained at least partial context for the UE from a previous time that the UE had established context on the second network;
• and
• the transmitter sends the connection request message to the one node in the second network and sends the another configuration request message to the another one node in the second network concurrently such that the traffic channel acquisition procedure and the PDN connection setup procedure are performed in parallel which reduces a mute time experienced during the non-optimized handoff from the first network to the second network.

A system for performing a non-optimized handoff from a first access technology to a second access technology, the system including:

• a first network having a plurality of nodes based on the first access technology;
• a second network having a plurality of nodes based on the second access technology;
• a user equipment, UE, in active mode and attached to the first network but moving to the second network, where the UE includes:
• a processor;
• and
• a memory that stores processor-executable instructions where the processor interfaces with the memory and executes the processor-executable instructions to perform the following operations:
• initiating a traffic channel acquisition procedure by sending a connection request message as payload in a reverse data over signaling, DOS, message to one of the nodes in the second network, wherein the traffic channel acquisition procedure involves setting-up a traffic channel with the one node in the second network;
• initiating a packet data network, PDN, connection setup procedure by sending another configuration request message as payload in another reverse DOS message to another one of the nodes in the second network, wherein the another one node in the second network has maintained at least partial context for the UE from a previous time that the UE had established context on the second network;
• and
• the sending of the connection request message to the one node in the second network and the sending of the another configuration request message to the another one node in the second network are performed concurrently such that the traffic channel acquisition procedure and the PDN connection setup procedure are performed in parallel which reduces a mute time experienced during the non-optimized handoff from the first network to the second network.