For a mobile communications system, a method of allowing a mobile station in idle state to perform handoffs in a more efficient manner is provided. This is achieved by receiving, from a source base station via a first channel, channel information of a second channel that is a different type of channel than the first channel, the second channel being used for transmitting overhead messages by at least one neighboring base station; determining a target base station among the one or more neighboring base stations; and receiving the second channel from the target base station by using the channel information.