A communication system is disclosed in which minimum system information associated with a cell of a radio access network (RAN) is transmitted by a base station. The minimum system information comprises parameters for accessing a cell of the base station, divided into an initial part and a remaining part of the minimum system information. The base station transmits the initial part of the system information via a broadcast channel using a first set of communication resources; transmits information identifying an allocation of at least one further communication resource in a shared channel; and transmits the remaining part of the minimum system information using the at least one further communication resource identified by the allocation.