16.13 Support of Reduced Capability (RedCap) NR devices

38.3003GPPNRNR and NG-RAN Overall descriptionRelease 17Stage 2TS

16.13.1 Introduction

A RedCap UE has reduced capabilities with the intention to have lower complexity with respect to non-RedCap UEs. It is mandatory for a RedCap UE to support 20 MHz maximum UE channel bandwidth in FR1 and 100 MHz in FR2.

16.13.2 Capabilities

CA, MR-DC, DAPS, CPA, CPC and IAB related capabilities are not supported by RedCap UEs, as defined together with other limitations in TS 38.306 [11]. It is up to the network to prevent RedCap UEs from using radio capabilities not intended for RedCap UEs.

16.13.3 Identification, access and camping restrictions

A RedCap UE can be identified by the network during Random Access procedure via MSG3/MSGA from a RedCap specific LCID(s) and optionally via MSG1/MSGA (PRACH occasion or PRACH preamble). For RedCap UE identification via MSG1/MSGA, RedCap specific Random Access configuration may be configured by the network. For MSG3/MSGA, a RedCap UE is identified by the dedicated LCID(s) indicated for CCCH identification (CCCH or CCCH1) regardless whether RedCap specific Random Access configuration is configured by the network.

RedCap UEs with 1 Rx branch and 2 Rx branches can be allowed separately via system information. In addition, RedCap UEs in Half-Duplex FDD mode can be allowed via system information. A RedCap specific IFRI can be provided in SIB1, when absent, RedCap UEs access is not allowed. Information on which frequencies RedCap UE access is allowed can be provided in system information.

NOTE: It is up to the E-UTRA network, if possible, to avoid handover attempts of a RedCap UE to a target NR cell not supporting RedCap. It is up to the RedCap UE implementation, if possible, to recover from handover attempts to a target NR cell not supporting RedCap.

16.13.4 RRM measurement relaxations

RRM measurement relaxation is enabled and disabled by the network. In RRC_IDLE and RRC_INACTIVE a RedCap UE is allowed to relax neighbour cell RRM measurements when the stationary criterion is met or when both stationary criterion and not-at-cell-edge criterion are met. Network may configure stationary criterion for a RedCap UE in RRC_CONNECTED and the UE shall report its RRM measurement relaxation status using UE Assistance Information when the stationarity criterion is met or no longer met.

16.13.5 BWP operation

A RedCap UE monitors paging only in an initial BWP (default or RedCap specific) associated with CD-SSB and performs cell (re-)selection and related measurements on the CD-SSB. If a RedCap-specific initial UL BWP is configured and NUL is selected, RedCap UEs in RRC_IDLE and RRC_INACTIVE shall use only the RedCap-specific initial UL BWP to perform RACH.

A RedCap UE may be configured with multiple NCD-SSBs provided that each BWP is configured with at most one SSB. NCD-SSB may be configured for a RedCap UE in RRC_CONNECTED to perform RLM, BFD, and RRM measurements when the active BWP does not contain CD-SSB.