Methods and apparatus are provided for narrowband UEs. In one novel aspect, frequency hopping is used. The UE stays on the first frequency band for consecutive number of subframes before hopping to another frequency band. In another embodiment, the first set of resource elements and the second set of resource elements are discontinued with a gap in the time domain. In another novel aspect, the UE obtains sub-band information and a resource index and generates a communication channel for data frame transmission and receiving. In one embodiment, the UE further acquires the sub-band set information through system information. In yet another embodiment, the resource index is acquired from DCI. In yet another novel aspect, resource blocks are selected for a PUCCH for a narrowband UE. The UE determines an operating sub-band information and selects one or more narrowband regions for the PUCCH.