Communications device, infrastructure equipment and methods

A method of operating a communications device forming part of a wireless communications network, the method comprising:

• receiving, by the communications device, from an infrastructure equipment forming part of the wireless communications network an indication that a multicast service can be received on communications resources of a wireless access interface provided by the wireless communications network, the indication including an indication that the communications resources can be received either
• according to a first mode of operation in which the communications resources of the multicast service form part of a bandwidth part dedicated for the multicast service with a second bandwidth part dedicated for unicast transmission to or reception from the communications device, or
• according to a second mode of operation in which the communications resources of the multicast service form part of a bandwidth part which includes communications resources for unicast transmission to or reception from the communications device,
• transmitting, by the communications device, a request to establish a communications session to the infrastructure equipment using either the first mode of operation or the second mode of operation, and
• receiving, by the communications device, data according to the multicast service via the communications resources of the wireless access interface provided for the multicast service according to either the first mode or the second mode.

A communications device forming part of a wireless communications network, the communications device comprising:

• transceiver circuitry configured to transmit or to receive signals;
• control circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry to
• receive from an infrastructure equipment forming part of the wireless communications network an indication that a multicast service can be received on communications resources of a wireless access interface provided by the wireless communications network, the indication including an indication that the communications resources can be received either
• according to a first mode of operation in which the communications resources of the multicast service form part of a bandwidth part dedicated for the multicast service with a second bandwidth part dedicated for unicast transmission to or reception from the communications device, or
• according to a second mode of operation in which the communications resources of the multicast service form part of a bandwidth part which includes communications resources for unicast transmission to or reception from the communications device,
• transmit a request to establish a communications session to the infrastructure equipment using either the first mode of operation or the second mode of operation, and
• receive data according to the multicast service via the communications resources of the wireless access interface provided for the multicast service according to either the first mode or the second mode.