A method of initiating handover in a cellular radio system with CDMA access technology. A mobile station is present in a serving cell and handover should be made from a serving cell to a target cell. Before the handover is made the signal quality from the target cell is estimated. The mobile measures the signal quality, preferably Ec/Io of the pilot tone, from the serving cell. An RNC node calculates the estimated signal quality as a function of the measured signal quality, a load dependent quantity at the serving and target cells and decides to initiate the handover when the estimated signal quality at the target cell is better than a predefined minimum value or is better than the measured signal quality. As load dependent quantity the total output transmission powers Ps and Pt may used.