In mobile radio systems, what is handover?

• A. The process of initiating a new connection at a random base station.
• B. The process of transferring an ongoing connection from one base station to another as the user moves.
• C. The method of synchronizing time with GPS.
• D. The process of switching between modulation schemes.

Answer: (B)

Handover is about keeping an active connection as you move by transferring the link from the current base station to another one. As you travel, the signal from the base station you’re connected to can weaken while a neighboring base station offers a stronger, clearer link. The network coordinates the switch to the new base station so your call or data session continues without dropping. There are different ways this transfer happens: a hard handover disconnects from the old base before connecting to the new one, while a soft handover may keep both connections briefly to avoid interruptions.

This isn’t about starting a new connection at a random base station, which would interrupt the ongoing session. It isn’t about synchronizing time with GPS, and it isn’t about changing the modulation scheme; those are separate concepts in the network.