Management of radio connection assignment in coverage area correlated with geographic region

A method comprising:

• receiving into a radio access network (RAN) a handoff request from a mobile station served by the RAN, the handoff request requesting the RAN to assign to the mobile station a radio connection in a cellular coverage area and providing the RAN with an advanced-handoff indication;
• responsive to the handoff request, the RAN assigning to the mobile station a radio connection in the cellular coverage area;
• and
• responsive to the request providing the advanced-handoff indication, the RAN maintaining assignment of the radio connection to the mobile station for longer than normal before the RAN receives communication from the mobile station over that radio connection,
• wherein normally when the RAN assigns a given radio connection, the RAN releases the given radio connection in response to the RAN not receiving communication over the given radio connection within a threshold period of time after first assigning the given radio connection, and
• wherein the advanced-handoff indication causes the RAN to maintain assignment of the radio connection assignment to the mobile station for longer than the threshold period of time.

A mobile station comprising:

• a wireless communication interface for engaging in air interface communication with a serving radio access network defining one or more first sectors and a second sector;
• a processor;
• data storage;
• first logic executable by the processor (i) to determine that, when the mobile station is at a geographic area and is operating on the one or more first sectors but not operating on the second sector, the mobile station tends to experience a call drop followed by the mobile station idling on the second sector, and (ii) to record in the data storage a correlation between at least the geographic area and the second sector;
• and
• second logic executable by the processor (i) to detect that, when the mobile station is on a call, the mobile station is at or approaching the geographic area and is not operating on the second sector and (ii) responsive to the detecting and in view of the stored correlation data between the geographic area and the second sector, to (a) invoke a handoff of the call to the second sector by sending or triggering transmission via the wireless communication interface to the serving radio access network a handoff request message designating the second sector and (b) include in the handoff request message an advanced-handoff indication comprising data interpretable by the serving radio access network to indicate that the handoff of the call to the second sector is an advanced handoff,
• wherein the handoff request message causes the serving radio access network to assign a channel of the second sector to the mobile station,
• wherein the advanced-handoff indication causes the serving radio access network to maintain the channel assignment for longer than normal before the serving radio access network receives bearer data of the call on the channel from the mobile station, and
• wherein the second logic is executable to invoke the handoff of the call to the second sector without the mobile station having detected signaling from the second sector sufficient to trigger the handoff.