What are the different types of handoff/handover in cellular networks?

Handoff (handover) maintains connectivity as users move between cells. Types include: Hard handoff: Break-before-make; connection to old cell dropped before new cell connected (GSM). Soft handoff: Make-before-break; simultaneous connection to multiple cells during transition (CDMA). Softer handoff: Between sectors of the same cell. Horizontal handoff: Between cells using same technology. Vertical handoff: Between different access technologies (WiFi to LTE). Handoff decisions based on signal strength, quality (BER), interference, and load balancing. Modern LTE uses hard handoff but with preparation to minimize interruption.