A method implemented by a user equipment for performing wireless communication with a base station in a narrowband communication system, the method comprising: obtaining a first set of multiple indices, each index in the first set of multiple indices corresponding to a different uplink resource allocation from a first set of uplink resource allocations formed from twelve contiguous subcarriers, wherein each of the twelve contiguous subcarriers has a 15 kHz bandwidth, the first set of uplink resource allocations comprising an allocation of the twelve contiguous subcarriers, two allocations of six contiguous ones of the twelve contiguous subcarriers, four allocations of three contiguous ones of the twelve contiguous subcarriers, and twelve allocations of a single one of the twelve contiguous subcarriers, such that: the two allocations of six contiguous subcarriers do not overlap with each other and fall within a bandwidth of the twelve contiguous subcarriers, the four allocations of three contiguous subcarriers do not overlap with each other and fall within the bandwidth of the twelve contiguous subcarriers, and the twelve allocations of single subcarriers do not overlap with each other and fall within the bandwidth of the twelve contiguous subcarriers, obtaining a second set of multiple indices, each index in the second set of multiple indices corresponding to a different uplink resource allocation from a second set of uplink resource allocations formed from forty-eight contiguous subcarriers, wherein each of the forty-eight contiguous subcarriers has a 3.75 kHz bandwidth, the second set of uplink resource allocations comprising forty-eight allocations of a single one of the forty-eight contiguous sub-carriers; receiving signaling distinguishing between 15 kHz and 3.75 kHz bandwidth; receiving, from the base station, an index indication corresponding to an index from the first or second set of multiple indices depending on the signaled bandwidth; and transmitting data to the base station using the resource allocation corresponding to the received index indication. obtaining a first set of multiple indices, each index in the first set of multiple indices corresponding to a different uplink resource allocation from a first set of uplink resource allocations formed from twelve contiguous subcarriers, wherein each of the twelve contiguous subcarriers has a 15 kHz bandwidth, the first set of uplink resource allocations comprising an allocation of the twelve contiguous subcarriers, two allocations of six contiguous ones of the twelve contiguous subcarriers, four allocations of three contiguous ones of the twelve contiguous subcarriers, and twelve allocations of a single one of the twelve contiguous subcarriers, such that: the two allocations of six contiguous subcarriers do not overlap with each other and fall within a bandwidth of the twelve contiguous subcarriers, the four allocations of three contiguous subcarriers do not overlap with each other and fall within the bandwidth of the twelve contiguous subcarriers, and the twelve allocations of single subcarriers do not overlap with each other and fall within the bandwidth of the twelve contiguous subcarriers, the two allocations of six contiguous subcarriers do not overlap with each other and fall within a bandwidth of the twelve contiguous subcarriers, the four allocations of three contiguous subcarriers do not overlap with each other and fall within the bandwidth of the twelve contiguous subcarriers, and the twelve allocations of single subcarriers do not overlap with each other and fall within the bandwidth of the twelve contiguous subcarriers, obtaining a second set of multiple indices, each index in the second set of multiple indices corresponding to a different uplink resource allocation from a second set of uplink resource allocations formed from forty-eight contiguous subcarriers, wherein each of the forty-eight contiguous subcarriers has a 3.75 kHz bandwidth, the second set of uplink resource allocations comprising forty-eight allocations of a single one of the forty-eight contiguous sub-carriers; receiving signaling distinguishing between 15 kHz and 3.75 kHz bandwidth; receiving, from the base station, an index indication corresponding to an index from the first or second set of multiple indices depending on the signaled bandwidth; and transmitting data to the base station using the resource allocation corresponding to the received index indication.