Methods for ul rach coverage extension

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one non-transitory 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 at least to perform:
• select at least one preamble group that indicates the use of beam sweeping;
• transmit a plurality of beam-formed random access signals comprising at least one preamble from the selected preamble group over a set of random access channel occasions, each beam-formed random access signal being transmitted using a different beam;
• wherein each of the plurality of beam-formed random access signals are uniquely identifiable by the random access channel occasion over which they are transmitted;
• and
• receive within a random access response message at least an indicator of one of the beam-formed random access signals.

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one non-transitory 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 at least to perform:
• transmit a plurality of beam-formed random access signals over a set of preconfigured random access channel occasions that indicate that initial access signaling using beam sweeping is performed, each beam-formed random access signal being transmitted using a different beam;
• wherein each of the plurality of beam-formed random access signals are uniquely identifiable by the random access channel occasion over which they are transmitted;
• and
• receive within a random access response message at least an indicator of one of the beam-formed random access signals.