To provide a system and method for switching base stations in wireless communication.

An access terminal 42 continues to receive data from a previous base station 46, and the data forwarded to the previous base station 46 will not be lost. Whenever the access terminal 42 decides to switch to a new base station 50, the access terminal 42 sends an indication to the wireless communications system 40 of the identity of the selected base station 50. The access terminal 42 continues to receive data from the previous base station 46. The previous data sent to the previous base station 46 are forwarded to the access terminal 42. When new data are sent to the new base station 50, the wireless communications system 40 can transmit the data to the access terminal 42 and the access terminal 42 can start reception of the data from the new base station 50.