CONTROLLING NETWORK ACCESSES BY RADIO TERMINALS ASSOCIATED WITH ACCESS CLASSES

摘要

A radio terminal's (10) access to an access network over a radio interface using access resources is controlled to reduce network load. The radio terminal is associated with one of a set of access classes, and the radio terminal's ability to access the access network depends on whether the one access class is permitted to access the access network. The radio terminal receives information from the network about limited access resources and permitted access classes. Radio terminals that are not associated with a permitted access class are prohibited from using the limited access resources. The radio terminal determines a first set of one or more time periods during which one or snore available access resources, permitted for use by the access class of the radio terminal, may be used by the radio terminal to access the radio network. The first set of one or more ti me periods is different from other sets of one or more time periods permitted for use by radio terminal s in other access classes to communicate with the radio network. The radio terminal communicates with the access network using the one or more available access resources during the first set of one or more time periods, thereby reducing a network load.