Coverage extension for wireless devices

A network entity for extending communication coverage in a network between the network entity and a wireless device, the network entity comprising:

• a communication interface;
• processing circuitry including a memory and a processor, the memory in communication with the processor, the memory having instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to:
• determine that the wireless device qualifies for coverage extension, the determining including that deriving appropriate transmission parameters for the wireless device results in one of a lowest possible or most robust modulation and coding scheme (MCS);
• determine achievable transmission performance parameters for the wireless device;
• if the determined achievable transmission performance parameters do not meet a set of pre-established transmission criteria, increase downlink transmission power to the wireless device;
• reevaluating the transmission parameters based on the increasing of the downlink transmission power to the wireless device;
• determine additional resources needed to meet an increase in a total power budget due to increasing the downlink transmission power to the wireless device;
• determine if the additional resources exceed a predetermined amount of headroom;
• and
• in response to determining that the additional resources exceed the predetermined amount of headroom, create additional headroom to increase the downlink transmission power to the wireless device.