Mobility management via iab nodes in inactive mode

A radio access network (RAN) node) a cellular network, the RAN node connecting integrated access and backhaul (IAB) relay) nodes to the cellular network, wherein the RAN node is associated with a RAN notification area (RNA) for mobility management of the wireless terminals operating in an inactive mode where a data connection between the respective wireless terminal and the RAN node is disconnected or suspended, comprising:

• a centralized unit (CU) configured to interface with a distributed unit (DU) of one or more IAB relay nodes;
• and
• at least one DU, configured to interface with at least an IAB user equipment (UE) of an IAB relay node,
• wherein the CU is further configured to:
• obtain IAB RNA association information enabling the RAN node to prospectively associate IAB relay nodes that will newly connect to the RAN node with the same RNA as the RAN node;
• upon releasing a wireless terminal connected to the RAN node to the inactive mode, provide RNA information to the wireless terminal based on the previously obtained IAB RNA association information;
• and
• upon an IAB relay node newly connecting to the RAN node, assign a cell identity to the IAB relay node based on the previously obtained IAB RNA association information.