Abstract: Systems and methods for changing Listen Before Talk (LBT) for unlicensed networks are provided. In some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device includes: receiving signaling from a base station that indicates when the wireless device uses LBT for transmissions; determining, based on the received signaling, whether or not to use LBT for transmissions; and transmitting based on the determination whether or not to use LBT for transmissions. Some embodiments provide a low complexity (in term of signaling overhead and specification impact) approach of adaptively using LBT mechanism by defining two simple modes for LBT operation (LBT and No LBT modes). Some embodiments reduce the probability of simultaneous transmissions that cause collisions, by using LBT mode, in environments and circumstances where network performance suffers from collision and/or interferences.

Abstract: A first group embodiments provide a method performed by a network node (NN) in a wireless network comprising responsive to a DL data intended for a user equipment (UE), transmitting a first short signal burst to the UE over a channel using a directional beam, and based on detecting a first response to the first short signal burst from the UE indicating that the channel is available, transmitting at least a portion of the DL data to the UE over the channel using the directional beam. A second group embodiments provide a method performed by a NN comprising determining availability of a channel between the network node and the UE using a directional beam, based on determining that the channel is available, transmitting a first resource grant for transmission of a UL data by the UE, and receiving the UL data from the UE over the channel using the directional beam.