Abstract: A communication device can determine a plurality of random access (“RA”) partitions configured by a network node in a communications network. The communication device can further determine one or more features associated with each of the plurality of RA partitions. The communication device can determine a set of triggered features that includes one or more features the communication device intends to use to perform a RA procedure to connect to the network node. The communication device can select a RA partition of the plurality of RA partitions based on a priority associated with a feature of the RA partition or a priority associated with a feature of another RA partition of the plurality RA partitions. The communication device can perform the RA procedure using the RA partition.

Abstract: A method for cell reselection by a non-Bandwidth reduced Low complexity (non-BL) wireless device camped in a standalone-cell providing enhanced coverage to the wireless device. The method includes determining, based on a respective signal strength of each of a plurality of cells, a first ranking of the plurality of cells. The plurality of cells include at least the standalone cell and a target cell. While the non-BL wireless device is camped in the standalone cell with enhanced coverage, the non-BL wireless device determines that at least one criteria is met for a cell reselection from the standalone cell to the target cell offering normal coverage to the non-BL wireless device. The non-BL wireless device selects the target cell to camp in whether or not the target cell ranks higher than the standalone cell in the first ranking.

Abstract: A method by a reduced capability wireless device includes receiving system information from a network node. The system information comprising information specific to the reduced capability wireless device. The reduced capability wireless device performs an operation using at least the information specific to the reduced capability wireless device received in the system information.

Abstract: There is provided a method performed by a wireless device for communicating with a network node in a wireless communication network. The method includes using a field in a Master Information Block (MIB) received by the wireless device, as an indication of a presence of an extended MIB (eMIB) and identifying which candidate resource of at least one candidate resource that contains the eMIB based on the indication of the presence of the eMIB. There is also provided a corresponding wireless device for communicating with a network node, a method perform by a network node, and a network node.

Abstract: Systems and methods for specifying content of carrier measurement reports in a cellular communication system are disclosed. Embodiments of a method performed by a wireless device are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method performed by the wireless device includes transmitting a random access preamble, receiving, from a base station, a random access response, and transmitting, to the base station, a Msg3 comprising one or more quality reports for one or more carriers or narrowbands, each of the one or more quality reports comprising at least one of a value that is indicative of a number of repetitions to be used for physical downlink control channel transmissions to the wireless device on the one or more carriers or narrowbands and an aggregation level. Some embodiments include transmitting, to a base station, an uplink message including the one or more quality reports for the one or more carriers or narrowbands.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device operating in connected mode for reporting channel quality comprise: determining that aperiodic channel quality reporting has been triggered for the wireless device and transmitting a downlink channel quality report to a network node. A channel quality in the report is represented by a number of repetitions used to receive a channel. In particular embodiments, the number of repetitions comprises a number of repetitions used to receive a machine type communication (MTC) physical downlink control channel (MPDCCH) or a narrowband Internet-of-things (NB-IoT) physical downlink control channel (NPDCCH).

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to, for example, a method performed by a UE for handling communication in a wireless communications network. The UE determines a first preamble from a group of preambles out of one or more groups of preambles, wherein the group of preambles is selected based on whether one or more conditions, associated with the group, are fulfilled or not. The UE transmit a PRACH transmission using the determined first preamble.

Abstract: Systems and methods for narrowband measurements and reporting in a cellular communications system are disclosed. Embodiments of a method performed by a wireless device are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method performed by the wireless device comprises determining a set of narrowbands on which to perform measurements, wherein the set of narrowbands on which to perform measurements is a subset of all narrowbands within a respective system bandwidth. The method further comprises performing measurements on the set of narrowbands during one or more time periods associated with a random access procedure, and reporting the measurements or information derived from the measurements to a base station within a message sent from the wireless device to the base station during the random access procedure. In some embodiments, the message sent from the wireless device to the base station during the random access procedure is a Msg3.

Abstract: Systems and methods for early indication for multiple features are provided. In some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device for early indication of features includes: determining to use an on-demand Random Access (RA) resource; transmitting, to a network node, an activation preamble to activate the on-demand RA resource; and transmitting, to the network node, a preamble on the on-demand RA resource. Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantages. The amount of RA resources can be made larger when there is demand for it. If no User Equipment (UE) is interested in using the on-demand RA resource, those radio resources can be used by the network for other purposes, e.g., dynamic scheduling of user data on Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH). The amount of RA resources hence scales with the demand without tying up and wasting resources when not used.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to, for example, a method performed by UE (10) for handling communication in the wireless communications network 1. The UE initiates a random access procedure for small data transmissions; and monitors for a message using a Type4-PDCCH CSS, or a USS, wherein the Type4-PDCCH CSS and/or the USS uses a radio resource set separated or partly overlapping a legacy radio resource set for a legacy CSS.

Abstract: A method performed by a wireless device. The method is for handling uplink transmission to a network node. The wireless device determines, in inactive state, whether a size of a buffer of data for uplink transmission obtained in inactive state is smaller than a threshold. The wireless device then sends, to the network node, at least a first transmission comprising a first subset of the data, and an explicit or implicit indication of a number of remaining transmissions that are needed to send the remaining data. The sending of the first transmission is based on a result of the determining and is in inactive state. The wireless device also sends the remaining transmissions in inactive or in connected state based on one or more further indications. The one or more further indications are received from the network node or configured.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that relate to Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) partitioning for feature signaling. In one embodiment, a method performed by a wireless communication device comprises receiving, from a network node, information that indicates mappings between a plurality of PRACH resources and a plurality of sets of features. The method further comprises selecting a PRACH resource from among the plurality of PRACH resources, the selected PRACH resource being mapped to one of the plurality of sets of features that the wireless communication device desires to indicate to the network node. The method further comprises transmitting a PRACH preamble using the selected PRACH resource. In this manner, signaling of features can be done in a manner that is radio resource efficient, backwards compatible, and future compatible.

Abstract: A method of controlling an indication of user data in a buffer of a User Equipment (UE) is provided. The user data is for Small Data Transmission (SDT) when the UE is in inactive mode. Based on a threshold value related to an amount of the user data for SDT, the UE determines whether to include an indication into a first uplink grant allocation transmission. The indication would indicate that user data is in the buffer. When an indication of user data in a buffer is not included in the first uplink grant, this indicates that the amount of data left in the buffer is less than the threshold value minus the first allocated grant transmission size, and when an indication of user data in a buffer is included, the indication indicates how many further transmissions are needed for transmitting the rest of the pending data.

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: A method performed by a wireless device. The wireless device sends an indication to a network node including a value corresponding to a size of a buffer of detected or expected to be had during inactive state at a time of one or more transmissions. The sending is performed with the proviso that the size of the buffer is smaller than a threshold. The wireless device receives a grant from the network node based on the indication, and then sends data to the network node during inactive state, according to the grant received. The sending of the data is performed with the proviso that the size of the buffer is smaller than the threshold. The sending of the indication is performed prior to the sending of one or more data packets comprising at least a part of the first data.

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 is disclosed herein for reducing energy consumption in a wireless device. A wireless device (e.g., a user equipment) can provide an indication to a network node (e.g., a base station) to indicate that the wireless device will prioritize energy consumption reduction over some network requirements (e.g., latency and/or scheduling flexibility requirements). Accordingly, the wireless device can perform certain power-saving actions to reduce energy consumption. The network node, upon receiving the indication from the wireless device, can perform certain network-related actions to assist the wireless device in reducing energy consumption. As a result, it is possible for the wireless device to reduce energy consumption and complexity, thus helping to prolong battery life in the wireless device.

Abstract: A network node (560) transmits (110) broadcast information (201) which indicates a set (202) of control resource elements. The network node transmits (120) first control information in the set of control resource elements. The first control information schedules a first downlink message (203). The network node transmits (130) second control information in a subset (204) of the set of control resource elements for use by a bandwidth-restricted wireless device. The subset of the set of control resource elements has a smaller bandwidth than the set of control resource elements. The second control information schedules a second downlink message (205). A wireless device (510) performs an associated method (400).

Abstract: There is provided a method performed by a wireless device for communicating with a network node in a wireless communication network. The method includes using a field in a Master Information Block (MIB) received by the wireless device, as an indication of a presence of an extended MIB (eMIB) and identifying which candidate resource of at least one candidate resource that contains the eMIB based on the indication of the presence of the eMIB. There is also provided a corresponding wireless device for communicating with a network node, a method perform by a network node, and a network node.

Abstract: A method for cell reselection by a non-Bandwidth reduced Low complexity (non-BL) wireless device camped in a standalone-cell providing enhanced coverage to the wireless device. The method includes determining, based on a respective signal strength of each of a plurality of cells, a first ranking of the plurality of cells. The plurality of cells include at least the standalone cell and a target cell. While the non-BL wireless device is camped in the standalone cell with enhanced coverage, the non-BL wireless device determines that at least one criteria is met for a cell reselection from the standalone cell to the target cell offering normal coverage to the non-BL wireless device. The non-BL wireless device selects the target cell to camp in whether or not the target cell ranks higher than the standalone cell in the first ranking.