Wireless communication with partial channel puncturing

A method for wireless communication by a wireless local area network (WLAN) apparatus, the method comprising:

• performing a clear channel assessment of a wireless communication medium that includes a group of 20 MHz subchannels, wherein a first sub-20 MHz portion of a first subchannel of the group of 20 MHz subchannels overlaps a first bandwidth exclusion zone and a second sub-20 MHz portion of the first subchannel does not overlap the first bandwidth exclusion zone, the clear channel assessment based, at least in part, on a detected energy at a frequency of the second sub-20 MHz portion of the first subchannel;
• and
• transmitting a packet via the wireless communication medium based on the clear channel assessment, the packet including transmission signals on at least the second sub-20 MHz portion of the first subchannel and transmission signals on the first sub-20 MHz portion of the first subchannel.