A method an apparatus for sending data to a User Equipment via a Radio Access Network node using the Transmission Control Protocol. A TCP node that sends TCP User Plane data to the UE receives a message originating from the RAN node. The message includes a congestion avoidance inhibitor relating to the UE. If the TCP node subsequently detects packet loss is detected between the TCP node and the UE, and the congestion avoidance inhibitor is present, then the TCP node will inhibit a congestion avoidance mechanism. This ensures that congestion avoidance mechanisms, which reduce transmission rate, are not initiated for temporary RAN events such as handover when there is no congestion in the network.