Wireless communication system

1. A method of operating a communication system, the method comprising:

exchanging initial communications between a wireless communication device and a communication network over a wireless connection between the wireless communication device and a network access system and over a network connection between the wireless device and the communication network;

discovering the network access system after a loss of the network connection due to a deterioration of the wireless connection between the wireless communication device and the network access system, wherein the wireless device checks a state of a context flag stored in memory after the loss of the network connection due to the deterioration of the wireless device;

determining at the wireless device a type of network entry process required to regain the network connection based on the context flag stored in memory, wherein the context flag is indicative of whether context information was maintained during the deterioration of the wireless connection between the wireless communication device and the network access system;

initiating at the wireless communication device a network entry process with the network access system based on the context flag to re-establish the network connection where the initiated network entry process is selected from a full network entry process, a partial network entry process, and a full network re-entry process, wherein all network entry steps are required to re-establish the network connection during the full network entry process, some network entry steps are required and some network entry steps are skipped to re-establish the network connection during the partial network entry process, and none of the network entry steps are required to re-establish the network connection during the full network re-entry process;

exchanging new communications between the wireless communication device and the communication network over the wireless connection and the network connection after the network connection is re-established.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the context flag indicates the full network entry process is required if the context information is not maintained, the context flag indicates the partial network entry process is possible if some of the context information is maintained, and the context flag indicates the full network re-entry process is possible when all of the context information is maintained.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising establishing the wireless connection between the wireless communication device and the network access system, and performing a network entry process over the wireless connection to establish the network connection between the wireless communication device and the communication network before exchanging initial communications between the wireless communication device and the communication network.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the network entry process further comprises determining which network entry steps are skipped when the network entry process is the partial network entry process.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the deterioration of the wireless connection occurs due to a coverage hole encountered by the wireless communication device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless connection comprises a layer one connection and wherein the network connection comprises a layer three connection.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein exchanging the initial communications comprises exchanging the initial communications in accordance with a wireless communication protocol.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the wireless communication protocol comprises at least one of Worldwide Inter-operability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) and Long Term Evolution (LTE).

9. A communication system comprising:

a communication network;

a network access system in communication with the communication network and configured to provide access to the communication network; and,

a wireless communication device in communication with the network access system over a wireless connection and configured to:

perform a network entry process over the wireless connection to establish a network connection with the communication network;

exchange initial communications with the communication network over the wireless connection and the network connection;

discover the network access system after a loss of the network connection due to a deterioration of the wireless connection, wherein the wireless device checks a state of a context flag stored in memory after discovering the network access system;

determine a type of network entry process required to regain the connection based on the context flag stored in memory, wherein the context flag is indicative of whether context information was maintained during the deterioration of the wireless connection between the wireless communication device and the network access system;

initiate a network entry process with the network access system based on the context flag to re-establish the network connection where the initiated network entry process is selected from a full network entry process, a partial network entry process, and a full network re-entry process, wherein all network entry steps are required to re-establish the network connection during the full network entry process, some network entry steps are required and some network entry steps are skipped to re-establish the network connection during the partial network entry process, and none of the network entry steps are required to re-establish the network connection during the full network re-entry process;

exchange new communications with the communication network over the wireless connection and the network connection after the network connection is re-established.

10. The communication system of claim 9 wherein the context flag indicates the full network entry process is required if the context information is not maintained, the context flag indicates the partial network entry process is possible if the context information is maintained, and the context flag indicates the full network re-entry process is possible when all of the context information is maintained.

11. The communication system of claim 10 wherein the network entry process further comprises determining which network entry steps are skipped when the network entry process is the partial network entry process.

12. The communication system of claim 9 wherein the deterioration of the wireless connection occurs due to a coverage hole encountered by the mobile communication device.

13. The communication system of claim 9 wherein the wireless connection comprises a layer one connection and wherein the network connection comprises a layer three connection.

14. The communication system of claim 9 wherein exchanging the initial communications comprises exchanging the initial communications in accordance with a wireless communication protocol.

15. The communication system of claim 14 wherein the wireless communication protocol comprises at least one of Worldwide Inter-operability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) and Long Term Evolution (LTE).

16. A wireless communication device comprising:

a communication interface configured to exchange initial communications with a network access system and a communication network over a wireless connection and a network connection established with the communication network; and,

a processing system coupled to the communication interface and configured to:

perform a network entry process to establish the network connection with the communication network;

discover the network access system after a loss of the network connection due to a deterioration of the wireless connection, wherein the wireless device checks a state of a context flag stored in memory after discovering the network access system;

determine a type of network entry process required to regain the network connection based on the context flag maintained at the wireless device, wherein the context flag is indicative of whether context information was maintained during the deterioration of the wireless connection between the wireless communication device and the network access system;

initiate a network entry process with the network access system based on the context information to re-establish the network connection where the initiated network entry process is selected from a full network entry process, a partial network entry process, and a full network re-entry process, wherein all network entry steps are required to re-establish the network connection during the full network entry process, some network entry steps are required and some network entry steps are skipped to re-establish the network connection during the partial network entry process, and none of the network entry steps are required to re-establish the network connection during the full network re-entry process; and

exchange new communications with the communication network over the wireless connection and the network connection after the network connection is re-established.