This disclosure describes methods, systems, and devices for mobile terminated (MT) early data transmission (EDT). In one example, a method involves receiving, by a node of the RAN, an MT EDT indication and information indicative of downlink data for transmission to a user equipment (UE) served by the RAN. The method further involves based on the information indicative of the downlink data, determining to initiate MT EDT to transmit the downlink data to the UE. The method also involves generating a Radio Resource Control (RRC) paging message comprising: (i) the MT EDT indication, (ii) an indication of a contention free (CF) physical random access channel (PRACH) resource, and (iii) an indication of an EDT-radio network temporary identifier (EDT-RNTI). Further, the method involves transmitting the RRC paging message to the UE.