Access to a cellular network for machine type communication devices

A method of controlling access by a User Equipment (UE) to a cellular network, the UE having an associated Group Identifier distinct from an Access Class associated with the UE, the method comprising:

• receiving an instruction at the UE from a the base station of the cellular network to make a transmission from the UE over a Random Access Channel (RACH) of the cellular network, the instruction further specifying a Group Identifier;
• comparing, at the UE, the Group Identifier specified by the instruction with the Group Identifier associated with the UE;
• and
• avoiding making a transmission from the UE over the RACH for a period of time based on the result of the step of comparing.

A User Equipment (UE) for a cellular network, comprising:

• a receiver arranged to receive an instruction from a base station of the cellular network to make a transmission over a Random Access Channel (RACH) of the cellular network, wherein the UE has an associated Group Identifier, and wherein the instruction further specifies a Group Identifier;
• a transmitter for transmitting the transmission over the RACH;
• and
• a processor, configured to:
• compare, at the UE, the Group Identifier specified by the instruction with the Group Identifier associated with the UE;
• and
• based on a result of the comparison, control the transmitter to transmit the transmission over the RACH in response to the received instruction, if the UE device has data to send over the cellular network, in order to send this data.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing software for controlling access by a User Equipment (UE) to a cellular network, the software comprising:

• executable code that receives an instruction at the UE from a base station of the cellular network to make a transmission from the UE over a Random Access Channel (RACH) of the cellular network;
• and
• executable code that compares, at the UE, the Group Identifier specified by the instruction with the Group Identifier associated with the UE;
• and
• executable code that, based on a result of the comparison, makes the transmission from the UE over the RACH in response to the received instruction, if the UE has data to send over the cellular network, in order to send this data.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing software for controlling access by a User Equipment (UE) to a cellular network, the UE having an associated Group Identifier distinct from an Access Class associated with the UE, the software comprising:

• executable code that receives an instruction at the UE from a base station of the cellular network to make a transmission from the UE over a Random Access Channel (RACH) of the cellular network, the instruction further specifying a Group Identifier;
• executable code that compares, at the UE, the Group Identifier specified by the instruction with the Group Identifier associated with the UE;
• and
• executable code that avoids making a transmission from the UE over the RACH for a period of time based on a result from the executable code that receives the instruction.