Abstract: Embodiments include methods for a user equipment (UE) to provide downlink (DL) channel-quality reports during a random-access (RA) procedure in a cell provided by a network node in a radio access network (RAN). Such embodiments include receiving, from the network node, a first indicator indicating that the UE may have to report DL channel quality in a particular message of the RA procedure; and initiating the RA procedure. The UE may be configured to operate in a coverage-enhancement (CE) mode. Such embodiments can also include initiating DL channel quality measurements based on the first indicator, wherein the DL channel quality measurements can be initiated before receiving a RA response from the network node. Other embodiments include complementary methods performed by a network node, as well as UEs and network nodes configured to perform the respective methods.

Abstract: A method performed by a network node, for controlling access of a first User Equipment (UE) and a second UE to a cell in a radio communications network is provided. The first UE is of a low complexity type, and wherein the second UE is of a regular type. A first association is assigned to the first UE. The first association associates the first UE with its low complexity type. A second association is assigned to the second UE. The second association associates the second UE with its regular type. The network node controls (302) access of the first UE and second UE by sending a rule to the first UE and second UE. The rule is related to access control that is different for UEs with different associations, for accessing to the radio communications network.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for adjusting Radio Link Monitoring (RLM), Radio Link Failure (RLF) detection, RLF recovery, and/or connection establishment failure detection for wireless devices (16) in a cellular communications network (10) depending on mode of operation. In one embodiment, a node (14, 16) in the cellular communications network (10) determines whether a wireless device (16) (e.g., a Machine Type Communication (MTC) device) is to operate in a long range extension mode of operation or a normal mode of operation. The node (14, 16) then applies different values for at least one parameter depending on whether the wireless device (16) is to operate in the long range extension mode or the normal mode. The at least one parameter includes one or more RLM parameters, one or more RLF detection parameters, and/or one or more RLF recovery parameters.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and devices for synchronizing one or more radio devices with a radio access node. A method of providing synchronization with a radio access node for radio communication to one or more radio devices is disclosed. The method comprises or triggers transmitting a configuration message to at least one of the radio devices, where the configuration message is indicative of a synchronization signal configuration for a configurable synchronization signal. The method further comprises or triggers transmitting the configurable synchronization signal to the at least one radio device in accordance with the synchronization signal configuration and communicating one or more decodable signals between the radio access node and the at least one radio device using radio resources in accordance with the configurable synchronization signal. A corresponding method of synchronizing the radio device with the radio access node for radio communication is disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for control resource set (CORESET) enhancements that are particularly beneficial for reduced bandwidth wireless communication devices. Embodiments of a method performed by a wireless communication device for a cellular communications system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method performed by a wireless communication device for a cellular communications system comprises receiving, from a network node, information that configures a CORESET for the wireless communication device, the CORESET comprising four or more symbols in the time domain. The method further comprises receiving a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) transmission from the network node within a search space that comprises at least a subset of time-frequency resources within the CORESET. In this manner, the CORESET is enhanced in a way that is particularly beneficial for reduced bandwidth wireless communication devices. Corresponding embodiments of a network node are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for communicating to a wireless device (WD) a DL-to-UL frequency offset (or frequency shift) that may need to be applied. For example, a method implemented in a wireless device (WD) is provided. The method comprises: receiving, from the network node, an indication of a frequency offset; and applying the received frequency offset; wherein the WD is configured to operate on a narrow-band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) carrier in a New Radio (NR) carrier.

Abstract: A wireless device determines whether to provide a reduced capability, RedCap, indication via a message 1 of a random access procedure. The wireless device transmits the message 1 based on the determination, and transmits a message 3 of the random access procedure. A RedCap indication is provided via the message 3 at least if a RedCap indication is not provided via the message 1. According to some embodiments, the wireless device receives an indication whether the wireless device is to provide a RedCap indication via the message 1, and the determination is based on the received indication. According to some embodiments, the indication whether the wireless device is to provide a RedCap indication via the message 1 is provided by whether a physical random access channel, PRACH, partition between RedCap wireless devices and other wireless devices is configured.

Abstract: A wireless device selects, from among at least first and second measurement modes in which measurements are respectively performed on cells belonging to first and second carriers, one or more measurement modes in which to perform a measurement. The one or more measurement modes are selected based on whether criteria is met for relaxed monitoring of a neighbor cell, and on whether the wireless device is configured to perform a positioning measurement. The wireless device performs the measurement in the one or more selected measurement modes.

Abstract: A method of operating a wireless terminal may include transmitting a random access preamble of a random access procedure from the wireless terminal to a node of a radio access network. After transmitting the random access preamble, a random access response of the random access procedure may be received from the node of the radio access network, with the random access response including an Uplink grant for a Message 3 uplink communication of the random access procedure. The UL grant may include a time domain configuration associated with the Message 3 uplink communication. The time domain configuration may include a repetition factor that defines a number of repetitions across subframes for the Message 3 uplink communication, and/or Transmission Time Interval information for the Message 3 uplink communication. Related wireless terminals and base stations are also discussed.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a method in a wireless communication device that operates in an enhanced coverage mode, the enhanced coverage mode comprising sequential repetition of messages sent from the wireless communication device to a network node. An example method includes: receiving a Timing Advance Command TAC from the network node; and adapting a time at which the TAC is applied, wherein a time difference between the time at which the TAC is applied and a time at which the TAC is received shall be greater than or equal to a specified time depending on a type of the used Radio Access Technology, such that application of the TAC does not occur during a period after a first subframe of a repeated uplink transmission till the end of the repeated uplink transmission.

Abstract: Embodiments include methods for a wireless device configured for random access to a cell of a wireless network. Such methods include transmitting, to a network node during a random-access procedure in the cell, a first indication of at least one capability of the wireless device. Such methods also include communicating with the network node, in one or more subsequent messages of the random-access procedure, using a configuration corresponding to the at least one capability indicated by the first indication. Other embodiments include complementary methods for a network node configured to support random access by wireless devices, as well as wireless devices and network nodes configured to perform such methods.

Abstract: A method of operating a wireless terminal may include transmitting a random access preamble of a random access procedure from the wireless terminal to a node of a radio access network. After transmitting the random access preamble, a random access response of the random access procedure may be received from the node of the radio access network, with the random access response including an Uplink grant for a Message 3 uplink communication of the random access procedure. The UL grant may include a time domain configuration associated with the Message 3 uplink communication. The time domain configuration may include a repetition factor that defines a number of repetitions across subframes for the Message 3 uplink communication, and/or Transmission Time Interval information for the Message 3 uplink communication. Related wireless terminals and base stations are also discussed.

Abstract: A method for a user equipment, a method for a network equipment, a user equipment and a network equipment is disclosed. The network equipment transmits a signal pertaining to if control information is present in a first time period while the user equipment determines if a signal pertaining to control information is present in a first time period. The network equipment transmits control information to a UE in accordance with the transmitted signal while the user equipment decides whether to attempt to decode the control information depending on the determination.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for reducing image interference in uplink transmission. In one embodiment, a wireless device (WD) is configured to receive an indication of a resource allocation from the network node; determine an uplink center frequency based at least in part on a center frequency of a resource allocated by the received indication of the resource allocation; and transmit uplink information according to the determined uplink center frequency.

Abstract: According to certain embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device includes transmitting, to a base station, a first transmission of a message, which includes user data and information to setup or resume a connection between the wireless device and the base station. DCI comprising an uplink grant indicating a plurality of transport block sizes is received from the base station. The DCI is interpreted based on previous information received in a message from the base station. One of the transport block sizes is selected for retransmission of the message. The message is retransmitted using the selected transport block size and includes either only the information to setup or resume the connection or the information to setup or resume the connection and user data. The message is retransmitted using the selected transport block size.

Abstract: A method performed by a network node in a communication network is provided. The method includes configuring a time-domain resource reservation for use in communication with a massive machine-type communication, mMTC, communication device when coexisting with a new radio system or a Long-Term Evolution system. The time-domain resource reservation includes a first bitmap having bits representing the resource reservation in consecutive slots and the first bitmap indicates one of a slot-level resource reservation and a symbol-level resource reservation. The method further includes signaling an indication of the time-domain resource reservation to the mMTC communication device. A method performed by a mMTC communication device is also provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods for efficient signaling Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) for an uplink data transmission are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of signaling HARQ-ACK feedback for an uplink data transmission sent from a wireless device to a radio network node comprises obtaining HARQ-ACK feedback for the uplink data transmission, encoding the obtained HARQ-ACK feedback on to an unused bit combination of a field in a downlink control channel, and transmitting the downlink control channel to the wireless device. Embodiments of the present disclosure enable wireless device power saving using positive HARQ-ACK feedback without increasing the static downlink control signaling overhead and without reducing coverage for downlink control information.

Abstract: Methods and device for use in a wireless device of reporting positioning measurements comprises receiving network assistance information from a network node. The network assistance information is for assisting the wireless device in performing Observed Time Difference Of Arrival (OTDOA), and comprises: a list of reference cells; a list of neighbor cells; and a rule for terminating Reference Signal Time Difference (RSTD) measurements. The method further comprises performing RSTD measurement between a cell in the reference cell list and a cell in the neighbor cell list. Upon determining the RSTD measurement satisfies the rule for terminating RSTD measurements, the method includes reporting the RSTD measurements to the network node. Upon determining the RSTD measurement does not satisfy the rule for terminating RSTD measurements, performing another RSTD measurement between the cell in the reference cell list and a cell in the neighbor cell list.

Abstract: A method in a network node includes communicating, over a narrowband Internet of Things downlink, a first message to a first wireless device during repetition periods of at least a first time frame and a second time frame of a plurality of time frames of a transmission time of a narrowband physical downlink control channel (NB-PDCCH) or a narrowband physical downlink shared channel (NB-PDSCH). Each time frame of the plurality of time frames includes a repetition period and a gap. The method also includes communicating a second message to a second wireless device during a gap of the first time frame.

Abstract: Systems and methods for selecting subcarriers to be used for sub-Physical Resource Block (PRB) transmission and, in some embodiments, for mapping Demodulation Reference Signals (DMRS) to resources on the selected subcarriers are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of operation of a radio node for providing sub-PRB transmission comprises selecting two adjacent subcarriers from a set of three allocated subcarriers that are allocated for a sub-PRB transmission that uses Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) Pi/2 Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK) modulation using only two adjacent subcarriers out of the set of three allocated subcarriers with Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) spread length of 2. In some embodiments, the selection is such that the selected adjacent subcarriers varies, e.g., from one cell to another. In doing so, interference is distributed.