Patent ID: 8737241

Claim:
A method in a base station for obtaining a user equipment (UE) identifier enabling provision of fast access to a dedicated uplink (UL) resource to a UE for data transmissions comprising the steps of: transmitting configuration parameters of a set of common UL resources to said UE; receiving a random access request for a common resource from said UE; determining whether at least one of the common resources of said set of common UL resources is available; and in case the at least one of the common resources is available: allocating an available common resource to said UE; receiving a UE identifier from said UE transmitted on said allocated common resource, wherein the UE identifier comprises an Enhanced Dedicated Channel (E-DCH) Radio Network Temporary Identity (E-RNTI); determining, based on said UE identifier, whether said UE has previously used a certain set of configuration parameters for a dedicated resource; if the UE has previously used the certain set of configuration parameters, ordering said UE to apply said certain set of configuration parameters for providing said dedicated UL resource to the UE for data transmissions; and if said UE has not previously used said certain set of configuration parameters for the dedicated resource, ordering the UE to use a Random Access Channel (RACH) procedure to transmit data.