The technologies described herein are generally directed to determining a response by a user equipment to a signal from a base station based on transmission signal strength relayed with the signal in a fifth generation (5G) network or other next generation networks. For example, a method described herein can include receiving initial signal from base station equipment, with the initial signal encoding a signal strength of the base station transmission, which can facilitate establishing a connection between the user equipment and the base station equipment. The method can further include, based on the signal strength value, estimating a likelihood that a response signal from the user equipment would be able to reach base station equipment. Further, the method can include, based on the estimated likelihood, determine a response to initial signal.