The present invention provides method and apparatus for facilitating base
station selection/handover by a user terminal in a distributed (e.g.,
cellular-type) wireless communication system. In accordance with one
aspect, hysteresis is adaptively determined as a function of the variance
of receive signal strength fluctuations. In turn, an adaptive hysteresis
factor can be obtained and used for a subsequent handover decision, for
example, based on a cost function that takes into account the hysteresis.
In accordance with another aspect, base station selection depends on a
number of criteria, such as received signal strength, base station load,
and estimated distance between a receiving user terminal and one or more
base stations.