What Is Hard Handoff?

If you've ever been on the phone with someone who has to hang up to get off a train, then they might call you back when they're on the other side (and vice versa). You know what a Hard Handoff is. You know how it goes: you're talking, and suddenly, silence. Then two minutes later, your friend is back on the line. That's because of hard handoffs, which is precisely what they sound like: when one base station breaks your connection with it, another base station picks up where it left off. Hard handoffs are used in cellular networks because they allow continuous service even when people move around or change cells. Mobile/cellular service providers need to offer uninterrupted service because their customers expect them to be able to answer calls from anywhere at any time and often need that ability to do their jobs (like emergency responders). A hard handoff is also called a hard handover or break-before-make handover. In simple terms, when your device receives a call when you're in the range of two towers, it will create a connection with both. In most cases, it will connect you to a structure made of more solid material. It's possible that the second tower, which has a higher capacity, will be able to take the call, but it won't be able to give it to you again. A 'dropped call' is used when anything like this occurs. In this scenario, the towers are in close proximity to one another, yet your device is unable to establish a connection with either of them. You can fix this problem by moving closer to one of the towers or turning off Aeroplane Mode and then attempting to use your phone again. You must understand this because it can cause problems with your connection, resulting in dropped calls! If you don't know what's going on.