In one example, a user equipment capable to establish a communication connection with a network entity, the user equipment comprising processing circuitry to receive, from a network entity, a primary synchronization signal (xPSS) and a beamforming reference signal (xBRS) transmitted using beamforming sweeping, identify at least one suitable transmission beamforming pattern from the network entity, transmit, to the network entity, an identifier associated with the at least one suitable beamforming pattern for a downlink signal, transmit, to the network entity, an uplink transmission of the physical random access channel (PRACH) transmitted using beamforming sweeping, receive, from the user equipment, a signal comprising an identifier associated with the at least one suitable beamforming pattern in the uplink transmission, and use the at least one suitable beamforming pattern in subsequent communication with the network equipment. Other examples are also disclosed and claimed.