The present invention provides a method and apparatus that enables handover of
a mobile station between a cellular network and a wireless network without control
intervention from the cellular network and independent of employed air interface
technology. The signaling and control of a switch, for example SS7 messaging, is
not required to achieve the handovers implemented by the present invention. In
particular, a call is connected (504) between a mobile station (202)
and a remote station (204) through a media gateway (210). The media
gateway is connected to the mobile station via a first connection line and to the
remote station via a second connection line. Next, a communication directed to
a predetermined number by the mobile station is received (520) or, in the
alternative, a connection signal that includes a call header is sent to the mobile
station. A third connection line between the media gateway and the mobile station
is then established (524). Thereafter, communication between the media gateway
and the mobile station is handed-over (526, 528) from the first connection
line to the third connection line.
