Systems and methods for recommending a data rate on an uplink or downlink communication channel between the network node and a wireless device in a wireless communications system are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a method performed by a wireless device (105, 200, 300, 400, 1100) for recommending a data rate on an uplink or downlink communication channel (107, 109) between the wireless device and a network node (101) in a wireless communications system (100) comprises determining (501, 1701) to request (113) that the network node recommend a data rate on the uplink or downlink communication channel for the wireless device. Further, the method includes generating a first information element (111) that indicates the request. Also, the first information element is sent via a protocol layer on the uplink communication channel.