Methods and apparatus supporting random access procedures in a wireless network

A wireless device configured to operate in a wireless communications network, the wireless device comprising:

• processing circuitry;
• and
• a memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry, whereby the wireless device is operative to:
• provide a message to be sent to a network node configured to operate in the wireless communications network, the message being a first scheduled message to be sent to the network node in a random access procedure, the message comprising one byte header prepended to a payload, the header including a first indicator that indicates that the message is of a first type having a fixed size Service Data Unit (SDU) as the payload, and the header omitting a second indicator indicating a payload length;
• and
• initiate sending of the message to the network node.

A network node configured to operate in a wireless communications network, the network node comprising:

• processing circuitry;
• and
• a memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry, whereby the network node is operative to:
• receive a message from a wireless device configured to operate in the wireless communications network, the message being a first scheduled message received by the network node in a random access procedure, the message comprising a one byte header prepended to a payload, the header including a first indicator that indicates that the message is of a first type having a fixed size Service Data Unit (SDU) as the payload, and the header omitting a second indicator indicating a payload length;
• and
• initiate processing of the message, based on the first indicator.