A method and apparatus is disclosed in which a user equipment (UE) receives and processes control information received on a first channel. In accordance with a particular embodiment, a use equipment (UI) having a user equipment processor coupled with user equipment circuitry includes means for receiving, via the user equipment circuitry, a wireless signal of a control channel; in which the wireless signal includes both (i) an N bit field and (ii) control information, the N bit field having been generated using the control information and having therein an N bit cyclic redundancy check (CRC) calculated using at least an N bit user equipment identity for the UE; and in which the UE further includes means for determining, via the user equipment circuitry, that the N bit CRC is correct using the N bit user equipment identity; and means for processing, via the user equipment circuitry, the control information upon the user equipment circuitry determining that the N bit CRC is correct.