a method of forcibly disconnecting a communications connection established between a mobile station and a mobile services switching network , depending on whether the communications connection initially allocated to the mobile station has deteriorated or that a call connection or a handover attempt has failed . with the intention of forcing the mobile station to relinquish the allocated channel , the network transmits to the mobile station a signal which activates a time monitoring process in the mobile station , which thereby sends an acknowledgement signal back to the network . when the network does not wish the mobile station to retain the allocated channel , a signal which would stop the time monitoring process is not sent to the mobile station , thereby resulting in the release of the communications channel . also described is a mobile station which includes counter - circuits for effecting the time monitoring process .