An apparatus of a user equipment, UE, (101, 102) the apparatus comprising: processing circuitry, the processing circuitry configured to: perform a single listen-before-talk, LBT, procedure during an LBT scanning instance, to detect availability of an unlicensed wireless channel; upon detecting availability of the unlicensed wireless channel, transmit data during a transmission opportunity, TXOP, on the unlicensed wireless channel, the TXOP having a TXOP duration; initiate a pause in the transmission of the data upon expiration of a first time interval of the TXOP, the pause having a pre-determined pause duration; perform a continuous LBT procedure (1000, 1017) upon expiration of the pause, to determine a plurality of sensing metrics indicating occupancy of the unlicensed wireless channel, wherein the continuous LBT procedure is performed while the wireless channel is occupied; and resume the transmission of the data during the TXOP for a second time interval, when the TXOP is unexpired and at least one sensing metric of the plurality of sensing metrics is below a threshold, indicating that the wireless channel is no longer occupied, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform the continuous LBT procedure (1000, 1017) using: periodically-allocated, independent, first LBT instances (1002, 1006, 1010, 1014), or a second LBT instance, in which the processing circuitry periodically generates the sensing metrics using a time sliding window; and memory coupled to the processing circuitry, the memory configured to store the threshold. processing circuitry, the processing circuitry configured to: perform a single listen-before-talk, LBT, procedure during an LBT scanning instance, to detect availability of an unlicensed wireless channel; upon detecting availability of the unlicensed wireless channel, transmit data during a transmission opportunity, TXOP, on the unlicensed wireless channel, the TXOP having a TXOP duration; initiate a pause in the transmission of the data upon expiration of a first time interval of the TXOP, the pause having a pre-determined pause duration; perform a continuous LBT procedure (1000, 1017) upon expiration of the pause, to determine a plurality of sensing metrics indicating occupancy of the unlicensed wireless channel, wherein the continuous LBT procedure is performed while the wireless channel is occupied; and resume the transmission of the data during the TXOP for a second time interval, when the TXOP is unexpired and at least one sensing metric of the plurality of sensing metrics is below a threshold, indicating that the wireless channel is no longer occupied, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform the continuous LBT procedure (1000, 1017) using: periodically-allocated, independent, first LBT instances (1002, 1006, 1010, 1014), or a second LBT instance, in which the processing circuitry periodically generates the sensing metrics using a time sliding window; and perform a single listen-before-talk, LBT, procedure during an LBT scanning instance, to detect availability of an unlicensed wireless channel; upon detecting availability of the unlicensed wireless channel, transmit data during a transmission opportunity, TXOP, on the unlicensed wireless channel, the TXOP having a TXOP duration; initiate a pause in the transmission of the data upon expiration of a first time interval of the TXOP, the pause having a pre-determined pause duration; perform a continuous LBT procedure (1000, 1017) upon expiration of the pause, to determine a plurality of sensing metrics indicating occupancy of the unlicensed wireless channel, wherein the continuous LBT procedure is performed while the wireless channel is occupied; and resume the transmission of the data during the TXOP for a second time interval, when the TXOP is unexpired and at least one sensing metric of the plurality of sensing metrics is below a threshold, indicating that the wireless channel is no longer occupied, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform the continuous LBT procedure (1000, 1017) using: periodically-allocated, independent, first LBT instances (1002, 1006, 1010, 1014), or a second LBT instance, in which the processing circuitry periodically generates the sensing metrics using a time sliding window; and periodically-allocated, independent, first LBT instances (1002, 1006, 1010, 1014), or a second LBT instance, in which the processing circuitry periodically generates the sensing metrics using a time sliding window; and memory coupled to the processing circuitry, the memory configured to store the threshold.