Managing Access Node Selection for a Wireless Device

1. A method of managing access node selection for a wireless device, comprising: performing a load-based handover of a selected wireless device from a first access node to a second access node, wherein the load-based handover is triggered based on a traffic load of the first access node; detecting a first signal level of the first access node, wherein the first signal level of the first access node is stronger than a second signal level of the second access node; setting an indicator to prevent performance of a first handover of the selected wireless device between the second access node and the first access node for a predetermined period of time when the second signal level of the second access node meets a first signal level criteria; and, permitting the first handover of the selected wireless device from the second access node to the first access node during the predetermined period of time when the second signal level of the second access node is less than a second signal level criteria and the first signal level of the first access node is greater than a third signal level criteria.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein preventing the performance of the first handover of the selected wireless device further comprises instructing the selected wireless device to not request the performance of the first handover when the second signal level meets the first signal level criteria during the predetermined period of time.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising: permitting the selected wireless device to request the performance of the first handover after the predetermined period of time expires when the second signal level meets the first signal level criteria.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising: permitting the selected wireless device to request the performance of the first handover after the predetermined period of time expires when the second signal level is greater than or equal to the first signal level plus a first signal level offset.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein instructing the selected wireless device further comprises instructing the selected wireless device to not request the performance of the first handover during the predetermined period of time unless the first signal level of the first access node is greater than or equal to a signal level threshold minimum and the second signal level of the second access node is less than a signal level threshold.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the signal level threshold is a minimum receive sensitivity of the wireless device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein preventing the performance of the first handover further comprises preventing the performance of the first handover when the selected wireless device requests the performance of the first handover during the predetermined period of time.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein preventing the performance of the first handover further comprises setting the indicator at a network element indicating that the load-based handover has been performed, to prevent the performance of the first handover during the predetermined period of time.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising: setting a second indicator at the network element after the predetermined period of time expires to permit the selected wireless device to request the performance of the first handover.

10. A method of managing access node selection for a wireless device, comprising: instructing a load-based handover of the wireless device from a first access node to a second access node based on a traffic load of the first access node meeting a traffic load threshold; monitoring a first signal level of the first access node and a second signal level of the second access node received at the wireless device; preventing the performance of a first handover of the wireless device from the second access node to the first access node during a predetermined time period when the second signal level meets a first signal level criteria; determining that the wireless device comprises a highest wireless resource utilization from among a plurality of wireless devices in communication with the second access node; and performing the first handover of the wireless device from the second access node to the first access node during the predetermined time period when the second signal level of the second access node is less than a second signal level criteria and the first signal level of the first access node is greater than a third signal level criteria.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising performing the first handover of the wireless device from the second access node to the first access node during the predetermined time period when the second signal level received at the wireless device is the lowest from among the plurality of wireless devices in communication with the second access node.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising performing the first handover of the wireless device from the second access node to the first access node during the predetermined time period when the first signal level is the highest from among the plurality of wireless devices in communication with the access node.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein preventing the performance of the first handover further comprises instructing the wireless device to not request the performance of the first handover when the second signal level meets the first signal level criteria during the predetermined time period.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising: permitting the wireless device to request the performance of the first handover after the predetermined time period expires when the second signal level meets the first signal level criteria.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising: permitting the wireless device to request the performance of the first handover after the predetermined time period expires when the second signal level is greater than or equal to the first signal level plus a first signal level offset.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein instructing the wireless device further comprises instructing the wireless device to not request the performance of the first handover during the predetermined time period unless the first signal level of the first access node is greater than or equal to a signal level threshold minimum and the second signal level of the second access node is less than a signal level threshold.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the signal level threshold is a minimum receive sensitivity of the wireless device.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein preventing the performance of the first handover further comprises preventing the performance of the first handover when the wireless device requests the performance of the first handover during the predetermined time period.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein preventing the performance of the first handover further comprises setting an indicator at a network element indicating that the wireless device has been instructed to change from communicating with the first access node to the second access node, to prevent the performance of the first handover during the predetermined time period.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising: setting a second indicator at the network element after the predetermined period of time expires to permit the performance of the first handover.