A method of using a mobile unit in a multi-cell communication system to determine whether to commence handover of the mobile unit from a serving base station located in a first cell of the communication system to a target base station located in a second cell of the communication system. The mobile unit determines the serving base station received signal code power (RSCP.sub.ser), the first cell interference signal code power (ISCP.sub.ser), the target base station received signal code power (RSCP.sub.tar) and the second cell interference signal code power (ISCP.sub.tar). If the ratio RSCP.sub.ser/ISCP.sub.ser is less than the ratio RSCP.sub.tar/ISCP.sub.tar, the mobile unit commences handover to the target base station. The multi-cell communication system may be a time division duplex (TDD) system. The mobile unit may send a message to a radio network controller (RNC) in communication with the serving and target base stations to initiate the handover.