The embodiments of the present invention provide a physical-layer-based handover method. The method includes: generating handover signaling, where the handover signaling carries a signaling type identifier and a destination identifier that are used for handover, and the handover signaling is an HS-SCCH order or specific HS-SCCH signaling; and sending the handover signaling to a physical layer of a mobile terminal, so that the mobile terminal executes handover according to the handover signaling to be handed over to a small cell indicated by the destination identifier. A handover method based on a network side physical layer and a mobile terminal physical layer is provided, and even if cell IDs of a macro cell and a small cell or those of small cells are the same, handover of the mobile terminal can be implemented.