Apparatuses and methods for Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA) communication are discussed. An example Evolved NodeB (eNB) includes a memory, a processor, and a transmitter circuit. The processor evaluates an orthogonal multiple access (OMA) metric and a NOMA metric, generates a protocol instruction that indicates an OMA transmission or a NOMA transmission based on the metrics, and determines a first modulation and coding scheme (MCS) for a first UE and a second MCS for a second UE. The transmitter circuit receives the protocol instruction and transmits a first data signal and a first downlink control information (DCI) message associated with the first UE, and a second data signal and a second DCI message associated with the second UE. When the protocol instruction indicates NOMA transmission, the data signals are power multiplexed, the DCI messages indicate the data signals are transmitted via NOMA, and the first DCI message indicates the second MCS.