Controlling resource usage in a wireless communication network and autonomous denials between a user equipment and a network entity

An apparatus for controlling resource usage in a wireless communications network and controlling autonomous denials between a user equipment and a network entity is disclosed. A system frame number associated with the network entity is used as the basis for generating an indicator for the start of a time period. The indicator is then transmitted to the user equipment, which is adapted to respond to receipt of the indicator by configuring the user equipment to perform no more than a predetermined number of autonomous denials during the time period. The number of unsuccessful transmissions during the time period is then monitored by the network entity, and resource usage within the wireless communications network is selectively adapted on the basis of the monitoring.