Some embodiments disclose methods for classifying user equipment in a network, comprising: recording a first number of times a tracking area identity has changed for a user equipment device during a period of time based on messages exchanged between the user equipment device and a mobility management entity; recording a second number of times the user equipment device is paged during a second period of time; classifying the user equipment device into one of at least three categories based on the first and second recorded numbers; generating a tracking area identity list for the user equipment based device on its category; and sending the generated tracking area identity list to the user equipment device.