Method and apparatus for a source-initiated handoff from a source cellular wireless network to a target non-cellular wireless network

To address the need for an apparatus and method for handoff from a cellular wireless network to a non-cellular wireless network (WLAN, e.g.), the present application describes an access gateway ( 214 ) and a dual mode mobile station ( 201 ) that enable such handoffs. Dual mode MSs can determine when a handoff to a non-cellular network is preferred and request a handin ( 302 ) from the non-cellular network. The access gateway provides information to the MS ( 304 ) so that it can initiate a handoff through the serving cellular network. Triggering handoffs in this manner, allows cellular networks to handle handoffs to non-cellular networks in much the same way they handle inter-MSC handoffs today, i.e., source initiated.