Embodiments include a method for physical layer transmission in a network equipment including receiving, from a higher layer, messages to be transmitted during a subframe on one or more control channels. The number of elements required (i.e. aggregation level) for each control channel is determined. A plurality of physical resource blocks (PRBs) for transmitting the control channels and partitioning the PRBs into clusters is allocated. The interleaving depth (IDP) for each cluster is determined. Each element is mapped to a cluster according to the IDP for that cluster. A transmission signal including the clusters is generated.