A base station for use in a wireless communication network, the communication network having an access channel, the base station comprising: a memory, wherein the memory is configured to store access class, AC, barring parameters, wherein the AC barring parameters establish rules to determine whether to transmit an access message on the access channel (S102, S106), wherein the AC barring parameters have values that allow a user device to access the access channel for services having a higher service priority level, and wherein the values of the AC barring parameters limit a rate at which the user device accesses the access channel for services having a lower service priority level; a processor in communication with the memory, wherein the processor: is configured to determine whether the access channel is in an overload condition (S116, S120), wherein the overload condition is based at least in part on access channel characteristics indicating whether the user device has been able to establish a communication connection in the communication network, and wherein the access channel characteristics include at least one of: a ratio of received messages to access channel capacity, a number of messages failing a cyclic redundancy check, CRC, and a number of random access response, RAR, message failures; is configured to determine one of a plurality of overload levels in response to the access channel being in the overload condition (S122, S130); and is configured to determine a value of at least one AC barring parameter of the AC barring parameters, wherein the value of the at least AC barring parameter is defined based on the determined one of the plurality of overload levels; and a transmitter in communication with the processor, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit an update message, wherein the update message includes the determined value of the at least one AC barring parameter corresponding to the determined one of the plurality of overload levels, wherein the plurality of overload levels includes a first overload level that prevents transmission of an access message based on a service type of a service provided by the communication network, and wherein the value of the at least one AC barring parameter is defined by the first overload level to prevent the transmission of the access message. a memory, wherein the memory is configured to store access class, AC, barring parameters, wherein the AC barring parameters establish rules to determine whether to transmit an access message on the access channel (S102, S106), wherein the AC barring parameters have values that allow a user device to access the access channel for services having a higher service priority level, and wherein the values of the AC barring parameters limit a rate at which the user device accesses the access channel for services having a lower service priority level; a processor in communication with the memory, wherein the processor: is configured to determine whether the access channel is in an overload condition (S116, S120), wherein the overload condition is based at least in part on access channel characteristics indicating whether the user device has been able to establish a communication connection in the communication network, and wherein the access channel characteristics include at least one of: a ratio of received messages to access channel capacity, a number of messages failing a cyclic redundancy check, CRC, and a number of random access response, RAR, message failures; is configured to determine one of a plurality of overload levels in response to the access channel being in the overload condition (S122, S130); and is configured to determine a value of at least one AC barring parameter of the AC barring parameters, wherein the value of the at least AC barring parameter is defined based on the determined one of the plurality of overload levels; and is configured to determine whether the access channel is in an overload condition (S116, S120), wherein the overload condition is based at least in part on access channel characteristics indicating whether the user device has been able to establish a communication connection in the communication network, and wherein the access channel characteristics include at least one of: a ratio of received messages to access channel capacity, a number of messages failing a cyclic redundancy check, CRC, and a number of random access response, RAR, message failures; is configured to determine one of a plurality of overload levels in response to the access channel being in the overload condition (S122, S130); and is configured to determine a value of at least one AC barring parameter of the AC barring parameters, wherein the value of the at least AC barring parameter is defined based on the determined one of the plurality of overload levels; and a transmitter in communication with the processor, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit an update message, wherein the update message includes the determined value of the at least one AC barring parameter corresponding to the determined one of the plurality of overload levels, wherein the plurality of overload levels includes a first overload level that prevents transmission of an access message based on a service type of a service provided by the communication network, and wherein the value of the at least one AC barring parameter is defined by the first overload level to prevent the transmission of the access message.