Method and apparatus are provided for encoding cell-specific information in a telecommunication system. Cell-specific information is encoded by a synchronization code. A synchronization signal including the synchronization code is sent, wherein the synchronization code includes a first repetitive cyclically permutable codeword generated from a first codeword ( c 1 , c 2 , … ⁢ ⁢ c i ⁢ ⁢ … ⁢ , c ⌈ M 2 ⌉ ) , where ⁢ ⁢ ⌈ M 2 ⌉ is the smallest integer not less than M/2, 0≦ci≦N, 1≦i≦M for all i, M, N are positive integers, and the repetitive structure of the first repetitive cyclically permutable codeword is given by repeating the value of at least one codeword element of the first repetitive cyclically permutable codeword in at least one other codeword element position within the first repetitive cyclically permutable codeword.