Embodiments of an eNB to operate in accordance with a coverage enhancement mode are disclosed herein. The eNB may comprise hardware processing circuitry to, during a legacy sub-frame, transmit a system information block (SIB) in legacy SIB frequency resources according to a legacy SIB transmission format and refrain from transmission of channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS). The hardware processing circuitry may be further to, during a first coverage enhancement sub-frame, transmit a first portion of the SIB in first SIB frequency resources included in the legacy SIB frequency resources. The hardware processing circuitry may be further to, during a first coverage enhancement sub-frame, transmit a first set of CSI-RS in first CSI-RS frequency resources that include at least a portion of the legacy SIB frequency resources.