A wireless communications network comprising a shared radio bearer apparatus, the shared radio bearer apparatus comprising: a shared radio bearer layer 2, L2, structure, the shared RB L2 structure comprising: a shared radio link control, RLC, sublayer comprising a shared RLC entity shared by a plurality of user equipment, UEs; and a shared packet data convergence protocol, PDCP, sublayer (214, 220) comprising a shared PDCP entity shared by the plurality of UEs, each one being identified by a Radio-ID, R-ID, in the PDCP header, wherein the shared RLC sublayer and the shared PDCP sublayer are implemented in one or more of: a user plane function of a core portion of a wireless communication network, a central unit, CU, of a generalized NodeB, gNB, in an access portion of the wireless communication network, a distributed unit, DU, of the gNB, and an access node in the access portion of the wireless communication network, and wherein the shared RB L2 structure is configured for uplink communication or downlink communication between the shared radio bearer apparatus and the plurality of UEs; the wireless communications network further comprising: an R-ID manager apparatus configured to: maintain a list of access nodes associated with a common zone maintain a pool of assignable R-ID values for the common zone; responsive to a UE of the plurality of UEs becoming associated with one or more access nodes associated with the common zone, assigning a currently unassigned one of the R-ID values to the UE, and creating a mapping relation between the assigned R-ID value and a UE ID of the UE; cause the shared PDCP entity to be informed of the assigned R-ID value for use thereby in the uplink communication, the downlink communication, or both; and cause the UE to be informed of the assigned R-ID value for use thereby in uplink communication, downlink communication, or both; wherein the R-ID manager apparatus is configured to assign said currently unassigned one of the R-ID values to the UE so that the UE is uniquely identified within one or both of: a predetermined geographic area; and a predetermined network slice. a shared radio link control, RLC, sublayer comprising a shared RLC entity shared by a plurality of user equipment, UEs; and a shared packet data convergence protocol, PDCP, sublayer (214, 220) comprising a shared PDCP entity shared by the plurality of UEs, each one being identified by a Radio-ID, R-ID, in the PDCP header, wherein the shared RLC sublayer and the shared PDCP sublayer are implemented in one or more of: a user plane function of a core portion of a wireless communication network, a central unit, CU, of a generalized NodeB, gNB, in an access portion of the wireless communication network, a distributed unit, DU, of the gNB, and an access node in the access portion of the wireless communication network, and wherein the shared RB L2 structure is configured for uplink communication or downlink communication between the shared radio bearer apparatus and the plurality of UEs; the wireless communications network further comprising: an R-ID manager apparatus configured to: maintain a list of access nodes associated with a common zone maintain a pool of assignable R-ID values for the common zone; responsive to a UE of the plurality of UEs becoming associated with one or more access nodes associated with the common zone, assigning a currently unassigned one of the R-ID values to the UE, and creating a mapping relation between the assigned R-ID value and a UE ID of the UE; cause the shared PDCP entity to be informed of the assigned R-ID value for use thereby in the uplink communication, the downlink communication, or both; and cause the UE to be informed of the assigned R-ID value for use thereby in uplink communication, downlink communication, or both; wherein the R-ID manager apparatus is configured to assign said currently unassigned one of the R-ID values to the UE so that the UE is uniquely identified within one or both of: a predetermined geographic area; and a predetermined network slice. maintain a list of access nodes associated with a common zone maintain a pool of assignable R-ID values for the common zone; responsive to a UE of the plurality of UEs becoming associated with one or more access nodes associated with the common zone, assigning a currently unassigned one of the R-ID values to the UE, and creating a mapping relation between the assigned R-ID value and a UE ID of the UE; cause the shared PDCP entity to be informed of the assigned R-ID value for use thereby in the uplink communication, the downlink communication, or both; and cause the UE to be informed of the assigned R-ID value for use thereby in uplink communication, downlink communication, or both; wherein the R-ID manager apparatus is configured to assign said currently unassigned one of the R-ID values to the UE so that the UE is uniquely identified within one or both of: a predetermined geographic area; and a predetermined network slice.