Techniques are described for wireless communication. One method for wireless communication includes transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), an indication of a control channel subcarrier spacing to be used by the UE; and transmitting a control message having a subcarrier spacing in accordance with the indication. Another method for wireless communication includes transmitting, to a UE, an indicator channel identifying at least a subcarrier spacing to be used in one or more subsequent control channels. One or more subsequent control channels are then transmitted in accordance with the subcarrier spacing indicated by the indicator channel.