Management and Setup of Enhanced Mac-E/Es Resources in Cell-Fach State

1. A method implemented by a radio network controller (RNC) of managing medium access control (MAC) resources, the method comprising: configuring an enhanced MAC entity for each of one or more common enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH) resources, wherein each of the one or more common E-DCH resources is used for communications with at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) that uses common E-DCH for common control channel (CCCH) transmission in at least one of a cell forward access channel (CELL_FACH) state or an idle mode; and sending one or more signals to a Node-B identifying the one or more common E-DCH resources, the one or more signals indicating to the Node-B to configure an enhanced MAC entity in the Node-B for each of the identified common E-DCH resources.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein CCCH traffic is terminated in a controlling RNC (CRNC) without forwarding to a serving radio network controller (SRNC).

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, for at least one WTRU that use common E-DCH in CELL_FACH state, configuring an enhanced MAC entity in a serving radio network control (SRNC) for dedicated traffic control (DTCH) or dedicated control channel (DCCH) transmissions.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the enhanced MAC entity in the RNC and the enhanced MAC entity in the Node-B perform as common entities that are associated with one WTRU at a time.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the enhanced MAC entity in the RNC is configured for a common channel and is terminated in a controlling RNC (CRNC).

6. An apparatus, comprising: a processor configured to configure an enhanced medium access control (MAC) entity for each of one or more common enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH) resources, wherein each of the one or more common E-DCH resources is used for communications with at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) that uses common E-DCH for common control channel (CCCH) transmission in at least one of a cell forward access channel (CELL — FACH) state or an idle mode; and a transmitter configured to transmit one or more signals to a Node-B identifying the one or more common E-DCH resources, the one or more signals indicating to the Node-B to configure an enhanced MAC entity in the Node-B for each of the identified common E-DCH resources.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein CCCH traffic is terminated in a controlling radio node controller (CRNC) without forwarding to a serving radio network controller (SRNC).

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising, for at least one WTRU that use common E-DCH in CELL_FACH state, the processor configured to configure an enhanced MAC entity in a serving radio network control (SRNC) for dedicated traffic control (DTCH) or dedicated control channel (DCCH) transmissions.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the enhanced MAC entity in a radio network controller (RNC) and the enhanced MAC entity in the Node-B perform as common entities that are associated with one WTRU at a time.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the enhanced MAC entity in a radio network controller (RNC) is configured for a common channel and is terminated in a controlling RNC (CRNC).

11. An apparatus, comprising: a processor configured to implement an enhanced medium access control (MAC) entity for each common enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH) resource of one or more common E-DCH resources, wherein each common E-DCH resource of the one or more common E-DCH resources is available for communications between a Node-B and at least one of a plurality of wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) that use common E-DCH for common control channel (CCCH) transmission in at least one of a cell forward access channel (CELL_FACH) state or an idle mode; and a transmitter configured to indicate, via one or more signals, to the Node-B to configure an enhanced MAC entity per common E-DCH resource.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein CCCH traffic is terminated in a controlling radio node controller (CRNC) without forwarding to a serving radio network controller (SRNC).

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising, for the at least one of the plurality of WTRUs that use common E-DCH in the CELL_FACH state, the processor configured to configure an enhanced MAC entity in a serving radio network control (SRNC) for dedicated traffic control (DTCH) or dedicated control channel (DCCH) transmissions.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the enhanced MAC entity in a radio network controller (RNC) and the enhanced MAC entity in the Node-B perform as common entities that are associated with one WTRU at a time.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the enhanced MAC entity in a radio network controller (RNC) is configured for a common channel and is terminated in a controlling RNC (CRNC).