Techniques for adaptatively requesting on-demand system information

A method for wireless communication at a base station, comprising:

• transmitting first system information to a user equipment (UE), the first system information being for reduced-capability UEs comprising UEs with a bandwidth capability below a threshold, the UE being a reduced-capability UE
• evaluating the first system information for a dedicated field that includes an indicator that additional system information for reduced-capability UEs is to be transmitted in response to on-demand requests;
• and
• transmitting the additional system information for reduced-capability UEs in accordance with information included in either the dedicated field when the dedicated field is included in the first system information or in a configuration information element of the first system information when the dedicated field is absent from the first system information.

An apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising:

• a processor;
• memory coupled with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:
• receive first system information from a base station, the first system information being for reduced-capability UEs comprising UEs with a bandwidth capability below a threshold, the UE being a reduced-capability UE;
• evaluate the first system information for a dedicated field that includes an indicator that additional system information for reduced-capability UEs is to be received in response to on-demand requests;
• and
• obtain the additional system information for reduced-capability UEs in accordance with information included in either the dedicated field when the dedicated field is included in the first system information or in a configuration information element of the first system information when the dedicated field is absent from the first system information.

An apparatus for wireless communication at a base station, comprising:

• a processor;
• memory coupled with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:
• transmit first system information to a user equipment (UE), the first system information being for reduced-capability UEs comprising UEs with a bandwidth capability below a threshold, the UE being a reduced-capability UE
• evaluate the first system information for a dedicated field that includes an indicator that additional system information for reduced-capability UEs is to be transmitted in response to on-demand requests;
• and
• transmit the additional system information for reduced-capability UEs in accordance with information included in either the dedicated field when the dedicated field is included in the first system information or in a configuration information element of the first system information when the dedicated field is absent from the first system information.