A method and apparatus enable high-speed downlink data transmissions to continue while a baton handover is in progress. In an aspect of the disclosure, a method of wireless communication includes switching an uplink from a source cell to a target cell while maintaining a downlink with the source cell, and transmitting over the uplink to the target cell at least one metric of quality of the downlink. In one example, the metric of quality may be a CQI. In another example, the metric of quality may be a HARQ ACK/NACK. The metric of quality of the downlink may be transmitted from the target cell to the source cell, directly or by way of a radio network controller.