Frequency domain resource set indication for REDCAP UE

A reduced capability (REDCAP) user equipment (UE) device comprising:

• a memory storing computer readable instructions;
• and
• processing circuitry configured to execute the computer readable instructions to cause the device to,
• obtain a resource set indication from a radio access network (RAN) node, the resource set indication indicating a set of physical resource blocks which are to be enhanced for REDCAP UE devices with a reduced baseband bandwidth in comparison to a baseband bandwidth of a non-REDCAP UE device on a network corresponding to the RAN node;
• receive downlink control information (DCI) from the RAN node, the DCI including a frequency domain resource allocation indication indicating a plurality of physical resource blocks assigned to at least one desired message to be transmitted by the RAN node;
• and
• receive the at least one desired message from the RAN node based on the resource set indication and the frequency domain resource allocation indication.

A method of operating a radio access network (RAN) node, the method comprising:

• determining whether to provide enhanced messages to at least one reduced capability (REDCAP) user equipment (UE) device via at least one enhanced physical resource block (PRB) based on a network setting, the at least one REDCAP UE device having a reduced baseband bandwidth in comparison to a baseband bandwidth of a non-REDCAP UE device on a network corresponding to the RAN node;
• providing a resource set indication to the at least one REDCAP UE device based on results of the determining, the resource set indication indicating a set of physical resource blocks which are to be enhanced;
• transmitting downlink control information (DCI) to the at least one REDCAP UE device, the DCI including a frequency domain resource allocation indication indicating a plurality of physical resource blocks assigned to at least one desired message;
• and
• transmitting the at least one desired message to the at least one REDCAP UE device based on the frequency domain resource allocation indication.