Disclosed herein are apparatuses, systems, and methods using or implementing a control channel (PDCCH) design. The PDCCH can occupy an initial number of OFDM symbols of a downlink subframe, while occupying less than the full system bandwidth. The PDCCH can be time division multiplexed (TDM) with a shared channel (PDSCH) or frequency division multiplexed (FDM) with a PDSCH. The PDCCH can further be multiplexed with another PDCCH in a contiguous or non-contiguous region. Resources allocated to the PDCCH can overlap or partially overlap resources allocated to the PDSCH. An Evolved Node-B (eNB) can provide configuration information for the PDCCH design in Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling to a user equipment (UE), or through use of a Master Information Block (MIB) or System Information Block (SIB).