Abstract. In this paper a novel handover initiation algorithm is proposed for next generation wireless systems, in the presence of a generic packet access protocol. By proper monitoring of the sequence of packets that may be lost due to channel impairments, handover triggering can bc strictly related to the Quality of Service (QoS) parameter of the source, In particular, a threshold length ofthe sequenceof lost packets is used as a handover criterion for delay sensitive sources. In a log-normal shadowing environmcnt, the algorithm pcrformance is derived analytically. Simulation is also used to validate the approximations introduced in the analysis. From numerical rcsults it is sccn that the novel algorithm can provide better performance than typical signal strcngth nlgorithnls used in second gcncrution mobile radio systems. Moreover, the proposed approach is rather general and may apply 10 a large class ofsourecs and acccss protocols.