Methods and apparatus for multi-carrier communications with variable channel bandwidth

A method comprising:

• processing, by a mobile station, a first bandwidth, wherein the first bandwidth includes a broadcast channel;
• determining, by the mobile station, a full carrier bandwidth based on information in the broadcast channel, wherein the first bandwidth is a portion of the full carrier bandwidth and is located at a center of the full carrier bandwidth;
• and
• receiving, by the mobile station, control and data transmissions utilizing the full carrier bandwidth including bandwidth portions outside of the first bandwidth.

A base station comprising:

• carrier frequency processing circuitry;
• and
• a processor;
• wherein:
• the carrier frequency processing circuitry and the processor are configured to transmit a first bandwidth including a broadcast channel, wherein the first bandwidth is a portion of a full carrier bandwidth and is located at a center of the full carrier bandwidth, and the broadcast channel includes information indicating the full carrier bandwidth;
• and
• the carrier frequency processing circuitry and the processor are configured to transmit control and data transmissions utilizing the full carrier bandwidth including bandwidth portions outside of the first bandwidth.