An apparatus receives a small data transmission during an RRC inactive mode, without transitioning the UE to an RRC connected mode. The UE receives a page from a base station for a downlink data transmission while in the RRC inactive mode. The page may indicate a downlink data transmission to occur without transitioning the UE to an RRC connected mode and may indicate a RACH preamble to the UE. The UE transmits a random access preamble to the base station in response to the page and receives a downlink data packet from the base station while remaining in the RRC inactive mode.