A method for contention-based (CB) uplink transmission in a wireless communication network is provided. A base station (eNB) first transmits CB configuration information and CB grant to a user equipment (UE). The UE derives a plurality of transmission opportunities from the uplink CB grant and in response transmits uplink CB data via one of the transmission opportunities. The UE then receives an acknowledgment from the serving base station. If the uplink CB data is non-decodable by the eNB due to multiple contention UEs, then the UE retransmits the uplink data in response to a negative acknowledgment. In one novel aspect, the uplink transmission radio resource carriers both the uplink CB data and UE-selected signature information. In one embodiment, the UE-selected signature information is transmitted via pilot tones. By eliminating a separate phase of contention resolution, the overall latency of CB transmission is reduced and transmission efficiency is improved.