Method and apparatus for managing non-integrity protected message

An apparatus in a user equipment (UE) for handling a non-integrity protected message, the apparatus comprising:

• a communication unit couple to a controller unit,
• wherein the controller unit is configured to:
• receive a reject cause message without integrity protection from a first public land mobile network (PLMN) in response to a transmission of a registration request message to the first PLMN, wherein at least one counter maintained for the first PLMN is configured to increment in response to the reception of the reject cause message received without the integrity protection;
• transmit the registration request message to one of the first PLMN or a second PLMN;
• receive a registration accept message from one of the first PLMN or the second PLMN in response to the transmission of the registration request message to one of the first PLMN or the second PLMN;
• and
• reset the at least one counter maintained for the first PLMN in response to the reception of the registration accept message after the reception of the reject cause message received without the integrity protection, and
• wherein the at least one counter maintained for the first PLMN includes at least one of a counter maintained for a subscriber identity module (SIM)/universal subscriber identity module (USIM) considered invalid for non- general packet radio service (GPRS) services or a counter maintained for the SIM/USIM considered invalid for GPRS services.