A method and system communicates cooperatively between base stations and mobile stations in a wireless cellular network. At least two mobile stations are detected in a handover region. A diversity set is established for each mobile station in the handover region. Each diversity set identifies at least two base stations that can communicate with the associated mobile station. The at least two base stations and the at least two mobile stations are combined into members of a cooperation set. A resource is allocated to selected members of the cooperative set. The selected members are notified of the allocated resource. Then, the selected base stations of the cooperation set communicate concurrently with the selected mobile stations using the same allocated resource.