Use of out-of-band signaling for wireless communication network to enhance search and entry

A method, apparatus and computer program operate so as to formulate a request at a terminal for a network access node to transmit a broadcast message; to transmit the request on an out-of-band radio channel for reception by the network access node; and to receive the broadcast message prior to a next scheduled time for the broadcast message to be transmitted. The network may be a WiMAX network, and the broadcast message may be at least one of a downlink channel descriptor/uplink channel descriptor and system identity information advertisement message. Also disclosed is a corresponding network access node that operates so as to receive a request from at least one terminal, where the request is a request to transmit a broadcast message and is received on an out-of-band radio channel. The network access node responds by transmitting the broadcast message prior to a next scheduled time for the broadcast message to be transmitted.