Systems, apparatus, user equipment (UE), evolved node B (eNB), computer readable media, and methods are described for license assisted access (LAA) communications on an unlicensed channel. The eNB determines if a subframe to be transmitted is a partial subframe, and if the subframe is not a partial subframe, constructs the subframe to contain both a primary synchronization signal (PSS) and a secondary synchronization signal (SSS) at fixed symbol positions within the subframe. In further embodiments, the eNB determines if a last subframe of a downlink (DL) transmission burst to be transmitted is a partial subframe, and if the subframe is not a partial subframe, constructs the subframe to contain a discovery reference signal (DRS) for transmission.