Transfer of Access Restriction Information Between a Radio Network Node and a User Equipment

A method in a radio network node for providing access restriction information about restricting access to a cell, managed by the radio network node, for at least one user equipment served by the radio network node, wherein the radio network node and said at least one user equipment are comprised in a radio communication system, and wherein the method comprises:

• encoding a downlink control information message by using a user equipment identifier associated with the access restriction information, wherein the access restriction information indicates an access restriction probability level to be used by the user equipment when deciding whether or not to send an access request to the radio network node, and wherein the user equipment identifier indicates the access restriction probability level;
• and
• sending the downlink control information message to said at least one user equipment, thereby providing access restriction information to said at least one user equipment.

A radio network node for providing access restriction information about restricting access to a cell capable of being managed by the radio network node, for at least one user equipment servable by the radio network node, wherein the radio network node comprises:

• a processing circuit configured to encode a downlink control information message by using a user equipment identifier associated with the access restriction information, wherein the access restriction information indicates an access restriction probability level to be used by the user equipment when deciding whether or not to send an access request to the radio network node, and wherein the user equipment identifier indicates the access restriction probability level;
• and
• a transmitter configured to send the downlink control information message to said at least one user equipment, whereby the radio network node is enabled to provide the access restriction information to said at least one user equipment.

A user equipment for obtaining access restriction information about restricting access to a cell, capable of being managed by a radio network node, for the user equipment servable by the radio network node, wherein the user equipment comprises:

• a receiver configured to receive a downlink control information message from the radio network node;
• and
• a processing circuit configured to decode the downlink control information message to obtain a user equipment identifier associated with the access restriction information, wherein the access restriction information indicates an access restriction probability level to be used by the user equipment when deciding whether or not to send an access request to the radio network node, wherein the user equipment identifier indicates the access restriction probability level, and wherein the processing circuit is configured to obtain configuration information about the user equipment identifier and the associated access restriction information, wherein the configuration information indicates at least one user equipment identifier of the set that is associated with the access restriction information.