Initial access and initial bandwidth part configuration for reduced capability user equipments

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by a reduced capabilities (RedCap) user equipment (UE), a synchronization signal (SS)/physical broadcast channel (PBCH) block from a network;
• wherein the SS/PBCH block comprises a primary synchronization signal (PSS), a secondary synchronization signal (SSS), a first set of physical broadcast channels (PBCH), a second set of PBCH, and a third set of PBCH;
• wherein the third set of PBCH is a duplicate of the second set of PBCH;
• and
• decoding, by the RedCap UE, the PSS, the SSS, the first set of PBCH, and the third set of PBCH.

A system comprising:

• a reduced capability (RedCap) user equipment (UE) comprising:
• a memory;
• and
• a processor configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to perform operations comprising:
• receiving, by the RedCap UE, a synchronization signal (SS)/physical broadcast channel (PBCH) block from a network;
• wherein the SS/PBCH block comprises a primary synchronization signal (PSS), a secondary synchronization signal (SSS), a first set of physical broadcast channels (PBCH), a second set of PBCH, and a third set of PBCH;
• wherein the third set of PBCH is a duplicate of the second set of PBCH;
• and
• decoding, by the RedCap UE, the PSS, the SSS, the first set of PBCH, and the third set of PBCH.