An inter-frequency handover of a UE connection is performed in which the frequency of the uplink connection from the UE to a base station remains the same and the frequency of the downlink connection from the base station to the UE changes from a first downlink frequency to a second downlink frequency. A request for the handover is transmitted from the base station. The request containing information indicating the second downlink frequency and information indicating that the uplink frequency remains the same. In response to the request, the physical layer of the uplink connection is maintained while changing the downlink frequency from the first downlink frequency to the second downlink frequency.