Abstract: A wireless device (14) is configured for use in a wireless communication system. The wireless device (14) is configured to transmit signaling (18A, 18C) 5 indicating whether or not the wireless device (14) is capable of receiving user data during a random access procedure (20). The signaling may for instance indicate whether or not the wireless device (14) is capable of receiving user data over a user plane during a random access procedure (20), e.g., by indicating whether or not the wireless device (14) supports early data for cellular internet of things, CIoT, Evolved 10 Packet System, EPS, user plane (UP) optimization. Regardless, the wireless device (14) may also receive user data during the random access procedure (20) in accordance with said signaling.

Abstract: A wireless device is configured for use in a wireless communication system. The wireless device is configured to transmit signaling indicating whether or not the wireless device is capable of receiving user data during a random access procedure. The signaling may for instance indicate whether or not the wireless device is capable of receiving user data over a user plane during a random access procedure, e.g., by indicating whether or not the wireless device supports early data for cellular internet of things, CIoT, Evolved Packet System, EPS, user plane (UP) optimization. Regardless, the wireless device may also receive user data during the random access procedure in accordance with said signaling.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method performed by a first network node. The first network node determines which UE category a UE belongs to. The UE category is M or non-BL in CE. The first network node provides UE category information about the determined UE category to a second network node.

Abstract: Methods of operating a network node in a communication network are provided. Operations according to such methods include receiving a transmission that is sent by a user equipment, UE, and that is received over a preconfigured uplink resource, PUR and selecting one or more transmission types for indicating feedback corresponding to the received transmission conditioned to having been successfully received.

Abstract: Enabling a UE to determine whether the UE can skip the acquisition of SIB1-BR. An indication (e.g., a one bit flag) in the MIB is provided, which indication is set to a particular value if the UE needs to read SIB1-BR, otherwise the indication is set to a different value indicating that the UE can skip reading SIB1-BR assuming other conditions are met (e.g., assuming that the UE has previously read SIB1-BR within a MIB indication time period).

Abstract: A method for allocating a resource grant at a network node comprises receiving, from a user equipment (UE), a preamble message; providing, to the UE, at least two uplink resource grants in a system information message, wherein the at least two uplink resource grants have different sizes and are overlapping; and receiving, from the UE, a transmission via a first uplink resource grant selected from the at least two uplink resource grants. The method provides multiple and flexible grants for the UE to select a corresponding grant to perform an uplink transmission.

Abstract: A network node (110), a wireless device (120) and methods therein, for enabling the wireless device (120) to obtain configuration information from a multicast control channel, e.g. SC-MCCH, which is transmitted by the network node (110). The network node (110) transmits an indication of change of the multicast control channel, wherein the indication further indicates whether the wireless device (120) is affected by the change and needs to acquire or obtain the multicast control channel or not. The network node (110) further transmits the multicast control channel as changed according to said indication. Thereby, the wireless device (120) can decide to obtain and acquire the multicast control channel only if it is affected by the change and to refrain when not affected, which will reduce the consumption of energy in the wireless device (120).

Abstract: A UE operating in a wireless network receives a paging message from the wireless network and performs a random access procedure in response to the paging message, where performing the random access procedure includes sending an indication of whether the UE will transmit a reply to an early data transmission from the wireless network to the UE. The network receives, as part of a random access procedure performed by the UE in response to the paging message, an indication of whether the UE will transmit a reply to an early data transmission from the wireless network to the UE.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining timing advance (TA) validity are disclosed. In some embodiments, systems and methods are disclosed herein in which a wireless device implicitly considers a TA to be valid in a full cell when no TA validation mechanisms are explicitly configured. In other embodiments, systems and methods are disclosed herein in which a timer serves a dual purpose. If the timer is set to infinity, a wireless device will always consider a TA to be valid within a given cell, and at the same time will disable other TA validation mechanisms. Otherwise, the wireless device will interpret the timer as indicating for how long the TA value that the wireless device possesses is considered to be valid. Benefits of the solutions described herein include reducing signaling bits in the configuration and avoiding the possibility of conflicting configurations.

Abstract: Systems and methods for handling transmissions and retransmissions on a periodic preconfigured uplink resource (PUR) are provided. Respective resources for transmission and retransmission can be determined and configured for a wireless device to prevent blocking of a new data transmission on a PUR opportunity by a retransmission attempt. Responsive to determining that a first transmission on the PUR was unsuccessful, a second resource can be configured for the retransmission.

Abstract: A network node configures a downlink connection to a wireless terminal to transmit channel specific reference signals, CRS, according to a first CRS muting configuration. In the first CRS muting configuration, CRS is transmitted in a first plurality of physical resource blocks, PRBs. Prior to a modification period boundary, the network node transmits a message to the wireless terminal indicating a second CRS muting configuration as a current CRS muting configuration. In the second configuration, CRS is transmitted in a second plurality of PRBs that is less than the first plurality of PRBs. The network node continues to transmit CRS according to the first CRS muting configuration after transmitting the message to the wireless terminal. At the modification period boundary, the network node switches from the first CRS muting configuration to the second CRS muting configuration.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device comprises: obtaining, from a non-access stratum (NAS) communication layer, an initial NAS protocol data unit (PDU) for potential early data transmission; determining, by an access-stratum (AS) communication layer, whether the initial NAS PDU is intended to be delivered when an associated radio resource control (RRC) connection is resumed successfully; and upon determining that the initial NAS PDU is not intended to be delivered when the associated RRC connection is resumed successfully, transmitting an early data transmission including the initial NAS PDU.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein that relate to determining Timing Advance (TA) value validity in a cellular communications system. In some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device comprises measuring a reference time of arrival (TOA) value for a reference base station (BS) for a time T0 at which the wireless device has a valid timing advance, TA(T0), value, measuring TOA values for a set of other BSs for T0, and computing and storing time difference of arrival, TDOAX(T0), values for the other BSs for T0. The method further comprises measuring a reference TOA value for the reference BS for a time T1, measuring TOA values for the other BSs for T1, and computing time difference of arrival, TDOAX(T1), values for the other BSs for T1. The method further comprises determining whether the TA(T0) value is valid at T1 based on the TDOAX(T0) and TDOAX(T1) values.

Abstract: Systems and methods for recommending a data rate on an uplink or downlink communication channel between the network node and a wireless device in a wireless communications system are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a method performed by a wireless device for recommending a data rate on an uplink or downlink communication channel between the wireless device and a network node in a wireless communications system comprises determining to request that the network node recommend a data rate on the uplink or downlink communication channel for the wireless device. Further, the method includes generating a first information element that indicates the request. Also, the first information element is sent via a protocol layer on the uplink communication channel.

Abstract: Embodiments include methods for a user equipment (UE) to receive downlink user data from a wireless network. Such methods include receiving, from a network node in the wireless network, a paging message indicating that downlink user data is available for the UE, and transmitting a random-access (RA) preamble to the network node. Such methods include receiving, from the network node, a response to the RA preamble, the response including a timing advance (TA) command for timing alignment of a subsequent transmission by the UE, and either the downlink user data or scheduling information pertaining to the downlink user data. Other embodiments include complementary methods performed by a network node, as well as UEs and network nodes configured to perform such methods.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatus for determining which 5 of a plurality of subframes are repetition subframes, wherein repetition subframes are subframes scheduled for use by abase station to transmit a repetition of a system information block. A method comprises receiving a first mapping comprising information designating a subset of the plurality of subframes as invalid subframes; and determining, based on the first mapping and a second mapping, which of the 0 subframes designated as invalid subframes are repetition subframes, wherein the second mapping comprises information designating at least one of the subset of the plurality of subframes as a repetition subframe.

Abstract: A method for allocating a resource grant at a network node comprises receiving, from a user equipment (UE), a preamble message; providing, to the UE, at least two uplink resource grants in a system information message, wherein the at least two uplink resource grants have different sizes and are overlapping; and receiving, from the UE, a transmission via a first uplink resource grant selected from the at least two uplink resource grants. The method provides multiple and flexible grants for the UE to select a corresponding grant to perform an uplink transmission.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device for mobile-terminated early data transmission includes receiving a paging message from a network node. The paging message comprises an indication that the network node will use early data transmission to transmit downlink data to the wireless device. In response to receiving the paging message, the method includes selecting an early data transmission preamble and transmitting a random access message 1 to the network node. The message 1 includes the selected early data transmission preamble.

Abstract: A method by a wireless device includes obtaining, in a downlink control information (DCI) field, an indication of whether to perform a fallback to a radio resource control (RRC) connection setup or resume procedure or whether to abort a random access attempt. Based on the indication, wireless device determines to perform the fallback to the RRC connection setup or resume procedure or to abort the random access attempt.

Abstract: A method in a user equipment (UE) to verify an authenticity of a network, in response to providing a Control Plane Service Request (CPSR) non-access stratum (NAS) message comprising user data to a first network node of the network, includes the steps: obtaining an indication from the first network node; verifying an authenticity of the indication; and determining that the user data has been successfully delivered.