Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described that provide for a base station to use frequency hopping for cell acquisition according to a frequency hopping pattern. The frequency hopping pattern may include a set of anchor channels and a set of non-anchor channels used by a base station to communicate with wireless devices. The base station may occupy an anchor channel more often than a non-anchor channel and may transmit acquisition signals using the anchor channel. The anchor channel may also be used by the base station and a user equipment (UE) to exchange paging information, positioning information, random access resources, location of other channels, etc.