Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate communicating user plane data over common control resources by specifying a user equipment (UE) radio network temporary identifier (U-RNTI). In this regard, a Node B or radio network controller (RNC) receiving the user plane data can associate the data to the UE based on the U-RNTI. The user plane data can be transmitted in a control message with the associated U-RNTI, such as a CELL UPDATE message or another message having the U-RNTI specified in a media access control (MAC)-i header or other header in the message. The control message can also include parameters regarding the existence and specifications of the user plane data. The UE can thereby communicate the user plane data while in a universal terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN) registration area paging channel (URA_PCH) or other relatively inactive state despite not having received an enhanced radio network temporary identifier (E-RNTI).