Embodiments described herein relate to connected-state radio session transfer in wireless communications. A source access network controller may lock a source radio session associated with an access terminal (e.g., in response to detecting a handoff condition associated with the access terminal), where the source access network controller may be in communication with a data network. The source access network controller may also instruct a target access network controller to create a target radio session corresponding with the source radio session, and to establish a communication route between the data network and the access network via the target ANC. The source access network controller may then freeze a state associated with the source radio session and transmits the frozen state to the target access network controller. The target access network controller may subsequently unfreeze the received state and further unlock the radio session, hence resuming control of the access terminal.