Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. A base station may transmit control information using a narrowband common control region that occupies a portion of a system bandwidth. In some cases, data may be multiplexed during the same time period in tones that are not used by the common control region. The base station may transmit control region configuration information to one or more user equipment (UE) devices such as the bandwidth, central frequency, and multiplexing status of the common control region. In some cases, the common control region may be divided into subbands, and different UEs may be assigned to monitor different subbands. Unassigned UEs may monitor a default anchor subband.