A telecommunications system and method is disclosed for allowing an ongoing Time of Arrival (TOA) based positioning of a mobile station to proceed if a radio related handover has occurred before the expiration of a delta timer in a Base Station Controller (BSC). The BSC stores an HOTIMER value therein, which corresponds to the amount of time involved in a normal radio-related handover procedure from the sending of a Handover Command to the reception of a Handover Complete message. If the BSC delta timer is active, e.g., positioning is ongoing, and the BSC determines that a radio related handover is needed, the BSC checks the amount of time remaining in the BSC delta timer. If that amount is more than the HOTIMER, then the ongoing positioning is not canceled.