A method is provided for applying HOM to a PDCCH to transmit control information from an access node to a UE. The method comprises: selecting a DCI format for a HOM PDCCH; determining a DCI block of the HOM PDCCH according to the selected DCI format; generating a sequence of coded bits to be transmitted from the DCI block; multiplexing the sequence of coded bits of the HOM PDCCH with coded bits of other PDCCHs to form a sequence of multiplexed bits; scrambling the sequence of multiplexed bits to form a sequence of scrambled bits; modulating the scrambled bits to form a sequence of modulation symbols; and transmitting the sequence of modulation symbols, where a PDCCH is transmitted on an aggregation of one or more CCEs.