To address the need for an apparatus and method for handoff from a cellular wireless
network to a non-cellular wireless network (WLAN, e.g.), the present application
describes an access gateway (214) and a dual mode mobile station (201)
that enable such handoffs. Dual mode MSs can determine when a handoff to a non-cellular
network is preferred and request a handin (302) from the non-cellular network.
The access gateway provides information to the MS (304) so that it can initiate
a handoff through the serving cellular network. Triggering handoffs in this manner,
allows cellular networks to handle handoffs to non-cellular networks in much the
same way they handle inter-MSC handoffs today, i.e., source initiated.
