SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BALANCING COMMUNICATION TRAFFIC LOADING BETWEEN ADJACENT BASE STATIONS IN A MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

A method for evaluating and balancing communication traffic loading in a mobile communications network includes a mobile communications device that detects a first signal strength from a current base station, and a current traffic indicator for the current base station. The mobile device also calculates a current base station adjusted signal strength indicator as a function of both the first signal strength and the current traffic indicator. The traffic indicator for an adjacent base station is identified, and the mobile device calculates an adjacent base station adjusted signal strength indicator as a function of both an adjacent base station signal strength and the traffic indicator for the adjacent base station. The current base station adjusted signal strength indicator is compared with the adjacent base station adjusted signal strength indicator to determine whether to roam to the adjacent base station.