Wireless communication in a multicarrier radio access network may be implemented where a user equipment (UE) maintains communication with various carrier frequencies in the multicarrier network. The UE will receive an indication from a node B to measure a signal quality on one of a number of carrier frequencies in the network. The UE will then measure the signal quality on the carrier frequency based on measurements using a downlink synchronization code transmitted by the node B on the downlink pilot channel of the carrier frequencies in the multicarrier network. The UE may then report the channel quality back to the node B.