User equipment Layer 2 buffer operation in IAB networks

A user equipment (UE), comprising:

• a transceiver configured to communicate with a network;
• and
• a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver and configured to perform operations comprising:
• accessing a first base station in a network via an access link, wherein the first base station is an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node in a first IAB network topology connected to a second base station via one or more backhaul links, wherein the second base station is an IAB-donor for the first base station;
• reporting, to the first base station, information to be used by the network for reducing a maximum data rate for the UE when the UE is deployed in one or more IAB network topologies, wherein the reported information indicates a reduction value for the maximum data rate based on whether the first IAB network topology is a standalone IAB network topology or a non-standalone IAB network topology, wherein the standalone IAB network topology comprises 5G backhaul links and the non-standalone IAB network topology comprises 5G and LTE backhaul links;
• and
• receiving data packages with a reduced maximum data rate based on the reported information.

A processor of a first base station in a network configured to perform operations comprising:

• communicating with a user equipment (UE) via an access link, wherein the first base station is an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node in a first IAB network topology connected to a second base station via one or more backhaul links, wherein the second base station is an IAB-donor for the first base station;
• receiving, from the UE, reported information to be used by the network for reducing a maximum data rate for the UE when the UE is deployed in one or more IAB network topologies, wherein the reported information indicates a reduction value for the maximum data rate based on whether the first IAB network topology is a standalone IAB network topology or a non-standalone IAB network topology, wherein the standalone IAB network topology comprises 5G backhaul links and the non-standalone IAB network topology comprises 5G and LTE backhaul links;
• and
• transmitting data packages to the UE with a reduced maximum data rate when, based on the reported information.