A wireless communication network distributes resources for a Physical Downlink Control CHannel (PDCCH) over multiple carriers in accordance with a constraint that limits a number of blind decoding actions required by user equipment (UE). Distribution can entail segregating UE-specific and common search spaces to different monitored carriers. Distribution can entail segregating aggregation levels to different monitored carriers. Distribution can entail segregating a number of decoding candidates for a given aggregation level to different monitored carriers. The distribution can be orthogonal or non-orthogonal, and can be UE-based or per cell-based. The distribution can be static, semi-static or hop with time.