Method and apparatus for triggering of specific operation mode for terminals operating in extended long range

A node in a cellular communications network, comprising:

• a wireless interface;
• and
• one or more control and processing circuits associated with the wireless interface and configured to:
• determine that there is difficulty in establishing communication between a wireless device and the cellular communications network when Reference Signal Received Power, RSRP, measurements for a number, N, of strongest cells made by the wireless device are each less than a predefined threshold RSRP;
• determine that the wireless device is to operate in a long range extension mode of operation upon determining that there is difficulty in establishing communication between the wireless device and the cellular communications network, the long range extension mode of operation being a mode of operation of the wireless device in which the wireless device is configured to maintain communication with a cell of the cellular communications network over an extended range as compared to a normal range over which the wireless device is enabled to maintain communication with the cell of the cellular communications network when operating in a normal mode of operation;
• and
• upon determining that the wireless device is to operate in the long range extension mode of operation, activate one or more long range extension mechanisms such that the wireless device operates in the long range extension mode of operation.