Abstract:
An apparatus, system, and method optimize a manner in which carrier aggregation (CA) is used. The apparatus comprises a transceiver and processor. The transceiver is used to establish a connection with a network including first and second network components used for a CA functionality. The processor implicitly deactivates the SCell while the CA functionality is enabled by the network by determining that the CA functionality is enabled by the network, determining that the SCell is one of out-of-service (OoS) and effectively OoS when the second network component is reachable by the apparatus and a connection parameter with the second network component is below a predetermined threshold, transmitting a channel quality indicator (CQI) value of zero for the SCell to the first network component to implicitly deactivate the SCell, and utilizing a low power consumption state where monitoring of the SCell is terminated.