Methods and apparatuses for enabling provision of an additional special subframe configuration

An apparatus comprising;

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory including computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform:
• generating, by the apparatus, one or more parameters defining a new special subframe configuration associated with downlink communications, the new special subframe configuration is generated in addition to one or more other special subframe configurations, the new special subframe configuration comprises information indicating a plurality of downlink symbols that exceed a number of downlink symbols of at least one of the other special subframe configurations;
• and
• transmitting, from the apparatus, a message to one or more communication devices, the message including the one or more parameters to enable at least a first subset of the communication devices to detect the new special subframe configuration.

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory including computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
• receive, in the apparatus, a message from a network device, the message comprising one or more special subframe configuration parameters;
• analyze, in the apparatus, the message to determine whether the parameters identify a defined new special subframe configuration associated with downlink communications in which the new special subframe configuration is generated in addition to one or more other special subframe configurations;
• wherein the new special subframe configuration comprises information indicating a plurality of downlink symbols that exceed a number of downlink symbols of at least one of the other special subframe configurations.