Channel quality reporting in LTE-M

A method for a network node configured to provide a cell in a radio access network (RAN), the method comprising:

• transmitting, in system information broadcast in the cell, an indicator indicating that user equipment (UEs) configured for reduced bandwidth, low complexity, and coverage enhancement (BL/CE) are further configured to provide downlink (DL) channel quality reports in a Msg3 message of a random-access (RA) procedure in the cell;
• receiving, from the UE, a RA preamble that initiates the UE's RA procedure in the cell;
• transmitting, to the UE in response to the RA preamble, a RA response grant indicating resources to be used for the Msg3 message;
• and
• receiving the Msg3 message from the UE, wherein the Msg3 message includes a DL channel quality report when the indicated resources are large enough to carry the DL channel quality report.

A user equipment (UE) configured for reduced bandwidth, low complexity, and coverage enhancement (BL/CE), the UE comprising:

• radio interface circuitry configured to communicate with a network node in a radio access network (RAN);
• and
• processing circuitry operably coupled to the radio interface circuitry, whereby the processing circuitry and the radio interface circuitry are configured to:
• receive, in system information broadcast by the network node, an indicator indicating that the UE is configured to provide downlink (DL) channel quality reports in a Msg3 message of a random-access (RA) procedure in a cell provided by the network node;
• initiate DL channel quality measurements in response to receiving the indicator;
• initiate the RA procedure in the cell by transmitting a RA preamble;
• receive a RA response grant, from the network node, indicating resources to be used for the Msg3 message;
• and
• transmit the Msg3 message, wherein the Msg3 message includes a DL channel quality report determined based on the DL channel quality measurements when the indicated resources are large enough to carry the DL channel quality report.