A user equipment (UE) is configured to send a request to use an enhanced power saving mode (ePSM) to a mobility management entity (MME) of a mobile communications network. The UE is configured to receive configuration parameters from the MME including a time length for an idle mode and a time length for a power saving mode. The UE is configured to cycle between the idle mode and the power saving mode based on the power saving mode parameters, wherein the UE is available to receive transmissions during the idle mode and unavailable to receive transmissions during the power saving mode.