Apparatus and method for a wireless device to receive data in an eco state

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having recorded thereon instructions that when executed by a processor of a network node of a wireless network implement a method comprising:

• determining that data is to be transmitted to a wireless device that is in an eco state;
• transmitting, to the wireless device in the eco state, a unicast notification message notifying of an impending data transmission;
• and
• transmitting the data to the wireless device in the eco state.

A network node of a wireless network, the network node comprising:

• circuitry implementing an eco state transmit function for a transceiver and being configured to:
• determine that data is to be transmitted to a wireless device that is in an eco state;
• transmit, to the wireless device in the eco state, a unicast notification message notifying of an impending data transmission;
• and
• transmit the data to the wireless device in the eco state.

A wireless device comprising:

• a wireless access radio configured to communicate with a wireless network;
• and
• circuitry implementing an eco state receive function with the wireless access radio and being configured to:
• receive, from the wireless network while the wireless device is in the eco state, a unicast notification message notifying of an impending data transmission;
• and
• receive, while the wireless device is in the eco state, data from the wireless network in accordance with the unicast notification message.