Abstract: In accordance with example embodiments of the invention there is a method and apparatus to perform at least: receiving from a serving cell of a communication network information comprising a first contention based random access channel configuration and a second random access channel configuration associated with at least a first service, wherein the second random access channel configuration is inactive and whose activation is associated with at least one activation timer; transmitting a first physical random access channel message using a resource of the first contention based random access channel configuration; determining a condition holds after reception of a network message and activating a resource of the second random access channel configuration based on the at least one activation timer; and based on the determining, transmitting a second physical random access channel message using a resource of the second random access channel configuration.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for conditional handover (CHO) execution with network slice service continuity prioritization are provided. A radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message sent by a source radio access network (RAN) node to the user equipment (UE) may include, for each CHO configuration, an associated network slice-related priority index. The UE may take this index into account when selecting a suitable cell during CHO recovery. Additionally, or alternatively, the RRC reconfiguration message sent by a source RAN node may include, for each CHO configuration, an associated network slice support information of the candidate target cell. The message may also include network slice remapping information for any network slice associated with one of the candidate target cells. Using the above network slice-related information received from the network, the UE can prioritize the cell to select during CHO recovery in case more than one suitable cell is available.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for conditional proactive discontinuous reception (DRX) measurement are provided. For example, a user equipment (UE) may be in a DRX active state (e.g., where the DRX is used) and configured to proactively measure for radio problems. Another example may relate to a network-controlled implementation where the serving network node (e.g., a base station (BS)) may signal the UE a condition and a configuration for the proactive DRX measurement. Another example may relate to a UE-controlled implementation for improving service unavailability using DRX operation. For example, the serving BS may signal, to the UE, proactive DRX measurement assistance information.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for conditional handover (CHO) execution with network slice service continuity prioritization are provided. A radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message sent by a source radio access network (RAN) node to the user equipment (UE) may include, for each CHO configuration, an associated network slice-related priority index. The UE may take this index into account when selecting a suitable cell during CHO recovery. Additionally, or alternatively, the RRC reconfiguration message sent by a source RAN node may include, for each CHO configuration, an associated network slice support information of the candidate target cell. The message may also include network slice remapping information for any network slice associated with one of the candidate target cells. Using the above network slice-related information received from the network, the UE can prioritize the cell to select during CHO recovery in case more than one suitable cell is available.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for conditional proactive discontinuous reception (DRX) measurement are provided. For example, a user equipment (UE) may be in a DRX active state (e.g., where the DRX is used) and configured to proactively measure for radio problems. Another example may relate to a network-controlled implementation where the serving network node (e.g., a base station (BS)) may signal the UE a condition and a configuration for the proactive DRX measurement. Another example may relate to a UE-controlled implementation for improving service unavailability using DRX operation. For example, the serving BS may signal, to the UE, proactive DRX measurement assistance information.