A reception quality estimating method estimates reception quality of a wireless communication area for estimating success or failure of handover processing occurring in a service area of a wireless communication system including a plurality of base stations. The method includes a first step and a second step. In the first step, the reception qualities of radio waves from the plurality of base stations are grasped at a given location within the service area. In the second step, the start point and end point of the handover processing are estimated by referring to time required for the handover processing, moving speed of a mobile terminal, which are previously input, and the reception qualities, and then success or failure of the handover processing is estimated by referring to the reception qualities of radio waves from the base stations at the start point and end point of the handover processing.