Introduction To Mobile Telephone Systems[c] 1G, 2G, 2.5G, and 3G Wireless Technologies and Services

When linked together to cover an entire metro area, the radio coverage areas (called cells ) form a cellular structure resembling that of a honeycomb. Cellular systems are designed to overlap each cell border with adjacent cell borders to enable a hand-off from one cell to the next . As a customer (called a subscriber) moves through a cellular system, the mobile switching center (MSC) coordinates and transfers calls from one cell to another and maintains call continuity.