System and method for network access

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a user equipment (UE), a primary synchronization sequence (PSS) signal, a secondary synchronization sequence (SSS) signal, and a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) from a base station, the PSS signal and the SSS signal providing a timing reference to be used for a cell-search by the UE to achieve coarse synchronization with the base station;

estimating, by the UE, a path loss between the UE and the base station based on a radio resource management (RRM) measurement of at least the SSS signal, the RRM measurement of the SSS signal being a synchronization signal reference signal received power (SS-RSRP) measurement type defined by a fifth generation (5G) new radio (NR) telecommunication standard; and

transmitting, by the UE, a random access channel (RACH) message in accordance with the estimated path loss.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining, by the UE, a cell identity of a cell of the base station from the PSS signal and SSS signal.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PSS signal and the SSS signal are received over a first carrier, and wherein the RACH message is transmitted over a second carrier in accordance with a RACH configuration obtained from the first carrier, the second carrier being different than the first carrier.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

receiving, by the UE, a UE identifier (UEID) for the UE over the second carrier;

transmitting, by the UE, a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) and a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) based on the UEID over the second carrier;

receiving, by the UE, radio resource control (RRC) configuration information over a physical downlink scheduling channel (PDSCH) based on the UEID; and

connecting, by the UE, to the second carrier in accordance with the RRC configuration information.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a transmit power level of the RACH message is based on the estimated path loss.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

performing, by the UE while operating in an idle mode, cell selection and mobility support in accordance with the RRM measurement of the SSS signal.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting, by the UE while operating in a connected mode, an RRM measurement report to the base station in accordance with the RRM measurement of the SSS signal, the RRM measurement report and the SSS signal being communicated over the same carrier.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the RRM measurement is based on both the SSS signal and the PSS signal.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the RRM measurement is based on both the SSS signal and the PBCH.

10. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

a non-transitory memory storage comprising instructions; and

one or more processors in communication with the non-transitory memory storage, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to:

receive a primary synchronization sequence (PSS) signal, a secondary synchronization sequence (SSS) signal, and a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) from a base station, the PSS signal and the SSS signal providing a timing reference to be used for a cell-search by the UE to achieve coarse synchronization with the base station;

estimate a path loss between the UE and the base station based on a radio resource management (RRM) measurement of at least the SSS signal, the RRM measurement of the SSS signal being a synchronization signal reference signal received power (SS-RSRP) measurement type defined by a fifth generation (5G) new radio (NR) telecommunication standard; and

transmit a random access channel (RACH) message in accordance with the estimated path loss.

11. The UE of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to:

obtain coarse time/frequency synchronization information from the PSS signal and the SSS signal; and

receive a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) in accordance with the coarse time/frequency synchronization information.

12. The UE of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to:

obtain a cell identity of a cell of the base station from the PSS signal and SSS signal.

13. The UE of claim 10 , wherein the PSS signal and the SSS signal are received over a first carrier, and wherein the RACH message is transmitted over a second carrier in accordance with a RACH configuration obtained from the first carrier, the second carrier being different than the first carrier.

14. The UE of claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to:

receive a UE identifier (UEID) for the UE over the second carrier;

transmit a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) and a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) based on the UEID over the second carrier;

receive radio resource control (RRC) configuration information over a physical downlink scheduling channel (PDSCH) based on the UEID; and

connect to the second carrier in accordance with the RRC configuration information.

15. The UE of claim 10 , wherein a transmit power level of the RACH message is based on the estimated path loss.

16. The UE of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to:

perform, while the UE is operating in an idle mode, cell selection and mobility support in accordance with the RRM measurement of the SSS signal.

17. The UE of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to:

transmit, while the UE is operating in a connected mode, an RRM measurement report to the base station in accordance with the RRM measurement of the SSS signal, the RRM measurement report and the SSS signal being communicated over the same carrier.

18. The UE of claim 10 , wherein the RRM measurement is based on both the SSS signal and the PSS signal.

19. The UE of claim 10 , wherein the RRM measurement is based on both the SSS signal and the PBCH.