The present invention provides a user equipment for use in a cellular network and a method for initiating a radio link abandonment in user equipment in advance of a radio link failure. The present invention includes establishing and maintaining a communication connection between the user equipment and a cellular network via a serving cell base station in support of a data flow via a radio link. The availability of other potential serving cell base stations including the availability of preferred potential serving cell base stations is then monitored. At least one of an uplink condition and a downlink condition of the data flow via the radio link are then monitored. Based upon the determined at least one of the uplink condition and the downlink condition, any impending degradation of the radio link is then predicted. When an impending degradation of the radio link is predicted, and a preferred potential serving cell base station is available, the radio link is abandoned prior to a radio link failure.