A method and system for re-direction and handoff for pre-paid mobile services
in
third generation ("3G") networks. A handoff marker is created and used for wireless
mobile nodes such as Mobile Internet Protocol ("Mobile IP") nodes. The handoff
markers allow the wireless mobile nodes to use pre-paid mobile services, have active
communications sessions suspended and re-directed to a registration server when
purchased pre-paid mobile services run-out. The registration server allows the
wireless mobile node to electronically purchase additional pre-paid mobile services
and immediately resume a suspended communications session. The handoff markers
also allows network devices in a mobile network to determine between initiation
of a new communications session or a hard handoff of an existing communication
session, without adversely affecting pre-paid billing services.