A wireless communication device communicates with a serving wireless access node using a radio frequency (RF) signal over a wireless communication link. Typically, the wireless communication device continually receives transport level status metrics related to this RF signal, such as a carrier to interference plus noise ratio (CINR) and a received signal strength indicator (RSSI). The CINR and RSSI levels are constantly changing as the wireless communication device moves from one wireless access node to another. In some instances, the RF signal quality will trigger a handoff response if the signal level falls below a certain threshold, which is typically a fixed setting stored in the wireless communication device.
Modern wireless communication devices are often equipped with multiple radio antennas to enable wireless communications with different types of wireless access networks, such as third generation (3G) and fourth generation (4G) wireless networks. When such a device detects a decrease in RF signal strength, it may respond by activating a second radio antenna to search for another wireless access node of a different wireless access network than it is presently in communication with in order to initiate a handoff. When the second radio antenna is activated, additional battery power is drawn from the battery reserves of the wireless communication device. In many cases, the CINR and RSSI levels only decrease momentarily and quickly improve, so the wireless communication device remains in communication with the wireless access node on the initial radio antenna, but has unfortunately depleted additional battery power by unnecessarily activating the second radio antenna.