Methods for balancing resources utilized in random-access procedures

Embodiments include methods for user equipment (UE) random access to a cell in a wireless network. Such methods include selecting one of a plurality of available random-access preambles and mapping the selected random-access preamble to one of a plurality of available physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) resource units (PRUs) based on a mapping constraint. In the mapping constraint, one or more of the available PRUs are not used for the mapping and an integer number of the available random-access preambles are mapped to each of the available PRUs that are used for the mapping. Such methods also include transmitting the selected random-access preamble on a random access channel (RACH) and transmitting a data message on the PRU mapped to the selected random-access preamble. Other embodiments include complementary methods for a network node, as well as UEs and network nodes configured to perform such methods.