A user equipment in a wireless communication system may operate in different states, e.g. an idle state, an active/connected state, or an inactive state. Depending upon the state the UE is in, the UE may or may not have its uplink transmission synchronized with the uplink transmissions of other UEs. Mechanisms are disclosed for the UE to send a grant-free uplink transmission, even when the UE does not have its uplink transmission synchronized with the uplink transmissions from other UEs.