Patent AT-E400014-T1: [Translated] METHOD FOR PREAUTHORIZING HANDOVERS BETWEEN ACCESS ROUTERS IN COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

An apparatus and method is provided for facilitating the handoff of a mobile terminal from a first access device in a first network to a second access device in a second network. Prior to performing a handoff operation, the first access device inquires as to whether the mobile terminal is authorized to be handed off to the second access device and, in response thereto, completes the handoff. If the mobile terminal is not authorized to be handed off to the second access device, the handoff operation is inhibited, preferably without using any radio frequency resources of the second access device.