Mobility in a wireless ATM network is accomplished by use of hand-off control protocols. A mobile terminal signals a first base station that a hand-off is to occur. In a first preferred embodiment the first base station signals a second base station requesting a hand-off. After the second base station signals the first base station that a datapath link is available from a hand-off switch to the second base station, the hand-off switch causes the datapath to change from the first base station to the second base station and the first base station signals the mobile terminal to commence communication with the second base station. In a second preferred embodiment, the mobile terminal signals a first base station that a hand-off is to occur. The first base station signals a second base station requesting a hand-off. At the same time a datapath link is established between the first and second base stations. When the second base station signals the first base station that the datapath link is available, the first base station signals the mobile terminal to change to the second base station and data is sent from the first base station to the second base station via the available established datapath link.