Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. A base station may transmit, and a UE may receive, via a configuration message, a group identifier indicating a group of UEs with which the UE is associated, the group of UEs being one of multiple groups of UEs which are each allocated resources. The base station may transmit the group downlink control information message to the group of UEs, and the UE may receive the group downlink control information message. The UE may determine that the group downlink control information message pertains to the UE by associating the group identifier with the group downlink control information message. The base station and the UE may communicate in accordance with the group downlink control information message based at least in part on the UE being associated with the group to which the group downlink control information message pertains.