A variable buffer status report configuration is transmitted from a wireless communication network node to a user equipment. The configuration may comprise one or more functions to calculate a buffer status report indication that indicates, or to calculate a table that is used to indicate, a metric related to a buffer, or related to uplink traffic stored in a buffer, of the user equipment. The configuration may comprise a function to determine a precision variable that corresponds to a step size between different criteria, or criteria functions, that are used to determine a buffer status report indication. Buffer status report indications may vary in size based on a value of the indication. A user equipment may apply different received configurations, or functions thereof, to determine buffer status report indications based on different parameters, such as traffic type, traffic Quality of Service, buffer size, or amount of buffered uplink traffic.