Method and node in a communications network

1. A method, operative in a node of a wireless communication network, of ordering a handover process to handover a user equipment in active mode, from a first cell of a first frequency to second cell of a second frequency different than the first frequency, comprising:

receiving data relating to a third cell of a third frequency the same as the first frequency, from the user equipment;

determining, based on the received data, that the third cell is a cell to which a soft handover cannot be performed; and

ordering a handover process to handover the user equipment to the second cell, in response to the received data, in order to prevent interference with the third cell.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the soft handover cannot be performed since the third cell is a cell that the user equipment is not allowed to access.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein ordering the handover process further comprises determining that the user equipment is within a preset range of the third cell.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the received data comprises an indication of one of a signal strength and signal quality of a signal from the third cell, and wherein determining that the user equipment is within a preset range of the third cell comprises comparing the received signal strength or quality to a predetermined threshold of signal strength or quality, and determining that the received signal strength or quality is higher than the predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received data comprises data indicating one of the type and the identity of the third cell.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received data comprises a scrambling code, and further comprising comparing the scrambling code to a preset monitored set of scrambling codes, wherein certain scrambling codes are set to indicate that the user equipment is forbidden to access a cell using the certain scrambling code.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein ordering a handover comprises creating an order to change handover algorithm to an inter frequency handover algorithm.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the inter frequency handover algorithm is selected from the group consisting of physical channel reconfiguration, radio bearer establishment, radio bearer reconfiguration, radio bearer release, and transport channel reconfiguration.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein ordering a handover comprises creating an order to change handover algorithm to an inter radio access technology handover algorithm.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein ordering a handover process to be performed further comprises transmitting the order to one of a core network and a user equipment.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising evaluating the second cell by performing measurements on the cell before handing over the wireless communication device.

12. A node operative to communicate in a communications network, comprising:

a receiving unit operative to receive data relating to a third cell from a user equipment;

a control unit operative to determine, based on the received data, that the third cell is a cell to which no soft handover of the user equipment can be performed, and further operative to create an order to perform a handover of the user equipment from a first present cell of a first frequency to a second cell of a second frequency different than the first frequency, in response to the data relating to the third cell, in order to prevent interference with the third cell; and

a transmitter operative to transmit the order to perform the handover.

13. The node of claim 12 , wherein the transmitter is operative to transmit the order to the user equipment.

14. The node of claim 12 , wherein the transmitter is operative to transmit the order to a core network.

15. The node of claim 12 , wherein the control unit is operative to determine that the user equipment is not allowed to operate in the third cell and that consequently, no soft handover of the user equipment to the third cell can be performed.

16. The node of claim 12 , wherein the received data comprises data indicating one of the type and identity of the third cell, and wherein the control unit is operative to determine that the user equipment is forbidden to access the third cell based on the data, and consequently no soft handover of the user equipment to the third cell can be performed.

17. The node of claim 12 , wherein the received data comprises a scrambling code and wherein the control unit is operative to compare the scrambling code to a preset monitored set of scrambling codes in a list stored in a memory of the node, where at least one scrambling code in the list is set to indicate that the wireless user equipment is forbidden to access a cell using the at least one scrambling code, and consequently no soft handover of the user equipment to the third cell can be performed.

18. The node of claim 12 , wherein the control unit of the node is further operative to determine that the user equipment is within a predetermined range of the third cell, and to trigger the creation of the handover order in response to determination.

19. The node of claim 12 , wherein the received data comprises a measurement report performed at the user equipment of the third cell and the control unit is operative to determine that the user equipment is in the proximity of the third cell by comparing a received signal strength to a predetermined threshold of signal strength, and to determine that the user equipment is in the proximity of the third cell when the signal is stronger than the predetermined threshold.

20. The node of claim 12 , wherein the control unit is operative to create an order ordering an inter frequency handover.

21. The node of claim 12 , wherein the control unit is operative to create an order ordering an inter radio access technology handover.

22. The node of claim 12 , wherein the control unit is operative to evaluate the second cell by analyzing measurements on the second cell before ordering the handover.