Device category in 3GPP communications

A device comprising:

• radio circuitry configured to enable wireless communications of the device;
• and
• a processor coupled to the radio circuitry and configured to interoperate with the radio circuitry to:
• perform random access channel (RACH) communications with a cellular base station as part of a procedure, according to a first device category;
• receive radio resource control (RRC) connection reconfiguration information from the cellular base station in response to the cellular base station identifying the device as being of a second device category different from the first device category, wherein the RRC connection reconfiguration information includes one or more parameter values of the second device category, wherein the one or more parameter values partially define how the device communicates with the cellular base station;
• perform additional communications with the cellular base station, subsequent to performing the RACH communications, according to the second device category, wherein the second device category features one or more of:
• a greater maximum uplink bandwidth than a narrowband mode of operation associated with the first device category;
• or
• a greater maximum downlink bandwidth than the narrowband mode of operation associated with the first device category;
• wherein the first device category and the second device category share at least one common parameter value that partially defines how the device communicates with the cellular base station;
• and
• wherein a maximum transport block size restriction of the second device category is greater than a maximum transport block size restriction of the first device category for uplink and downlink.

A non-transitory memory element storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, enable a device to:

• perform random access channel (RACH) communications with a cellular base station as part of a procedure, according to a first device category;
• receive radio resource control (RRC) connection reconfiguration information from the cellular base station in response to the cellular base station identifying the device as being of a second device category different from the first device category, wherein the RRC connection reconfiguration information includes one or more parameter values of the second device category, wherein the one or more parameter values partially define how the device communicates with the cellular base station;
• perform additional communications with the cellular base station, subsequent to performing the RACH communications, according to the second device category, wherein the second device category features one or more of:
• a greater maximum uplink bandwidth than a narrowband mode of operation associated with the first device category;
• or
• a greater maximum downlink bandwidth than the narrowband mode of operation associated with the first device category;
• wherein the first device category and the second device category share at least one common parameter value that partially defines how the device communicates with the cellular base station;
• and
• wherein a maximum transport block size restriction of the second device category is greater than a maximum transport block size restriction of the first device category for uplink and downlink.