Common random access channel resource based coordinated random access

An apparatus, comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one non-transitory memory including computer program code,
• wherein the at least one non-transitory memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:
• receive an indication that a user equipment has sent a random access message on a common channel resource, wherein the common channel resource comprises a channel resource known to or shared with a plurality of access nodes;
• perform local coordination of at least two of the plurality of access nodes with respect to the random access message, wherein the local coordination is configured to formulate a joint random access response;
• and
• transmit the joint random access response in response to the random access message, wherein the joint random access response is caused to be transmitted with the at least two of the plurality of access nodes, wherein respective joint random access responses caused to be transmitted with the at least two of the plurality of access nodes comprise a same joint random access response.

An apparatus, comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one non-transitory memory including computer program code,
• wherein the at least one non-transitory memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:
• receive a random access message from a user equipment on a common channel resource, wherein the common channel resource comprises a channel resource known to or shared with a plurality of access nodes;
• determine whether to provide a locally coordinated random access response to the random access message;
• and
• transmit a joint random access response to the random access message based on the determination, wherein the joint random access response is caused to be transmitted with two or more of the plurality of access nodes, wherein respective joint random access responses caused to be transmitted with the two or more of the plurality of access nodes comprise a same joint random access response.