To facilitate sending a reference signal in a wireless communication environment, a transmitter sends a reference signal in a first time-frequency resource to a user equipment (UE); the transmitter sends data information in a first portion of a second time-frequency resource different from the first time-frequency resource to the UE; and the transmitter excludes data information from being sent in a second portion of the second time-frequency resource. The second portion of the second time-frequency resource is designated for use by another transmitter for sending another reference signal to the UE.