Mobile communication system, short range access points and related handoff procedure

A hotspot access point enables a mobile wireless device to resume a service with a network server when service is interrupted by the mobile device moving out of the coverage area of the access point. A short-range communication link is established by the access point with the mobile device based on a local identification of the device. The access point requests additional information from the wireless device. The additional information relates to a wide area network identification of the device. The mobile device transmits additional information to the access point which stores the local area identification and additional identification . The access point transmits to the mobile device a coded identificator of the wireless device based upon the local area identification and a network identification of the device. The access point determines whether service with the mobile device is open and establishes a wide area connection with the mobile device.