Methods and apparatus for radio resource control

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor;
• a computer readable medium storing a program of instructions which, when executed by the processor, configure the apparatus to perform the functions of:
• in response to a determination that the apparatus needs to communicate with a wireless networking base station:
• determine if the need for service from the base station results from a need for an emergency communication;
• if the need for service from the base station does result from a need for emergency communication, cause the non-access stratum to perform emergency procedures without determining the access class barring category;
• if the need for service from the base station does not result from a need for emergency communication:
• determining at least one of extended access barring information or status for the apparatus or access class barring information or status for the communication, wherein the determination of the extended access barring information or status of the apparatus is carried out at the non-access stratum layer of the wireless telecommunication protocol stack being used by the apparatus;
• receiving extended access barring category information broadcast by the base station;
• receiving access class barring information broadcast by the base station;
• determining whether the communication is subject to extended access barring;
• and
• if it is determined that the apparatus is not subject to extended access barring, determining whether the apparatus is subject to access class barring based on the access class barring information broadcast by the base station.

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a program of instructions execution of which by a processor causes an apparatus to perform the functions of:

• in response to a determination that the apparatus needs to communicate with a wireless networking base station:
• determine if the need for service from the base station results from a need for an emergency communication;
• if the need for service from the base station does result from a need for emergency communication, cause the non-access stratum to perform emergency procedures without determining the access class barring category;
• if the need for service from the base station does not result from a need for emergency communication:
• determining at least one of extended access barring information or status for the apparatus or access class barring information or status for the communication, wherein the determination of the extended access barring information or status of the apparatus is carried out at the non-access stratum layer of the wireless telecommunication protocol stack being used by the apparatus;
• receiving extended access barring category information broadcast by the base station;
• receiving access class barring information broadcast by the base station;
• determining whether the communication is subject to extended access barring;
• and
• if it is determined that the apparatus is not subject to extended access barring, determining whether the apparatus is subject to access class barring based on the access class barring information broadcast by the base station.