Carrier information transmission to wireless devices

1. A method comprising:

a) transmitting, by a base station, at least one control message to a wireless device, said at least one control message comprising:

i) an identifier for each carrier in a plurality of carriers, said plurality of carriers comprising:

(1) at least one backward compatible carrier; and

(2) at least one non-backward compatible carrier, a first common reference signal overhead of each of said at least one non-backward compatible carrier being substantially lower than a second common reference signal overhead of each of said at least one backward compatible carrier;

ii) information identifying a carrier type for each of said plurality of carriers, said carrier type being one of at least a backward compatible type and non-backward compatible type; and

iii) information associating each of said at least one non-backward compatible carrier with one of said at least one backward compatible carrier;

b) receiving, by said base station, channel state information of one of said at least one non-backward compatible carrier from said wireless device on an uplink carrier of one of said at least one backward compatible carrier;

c) transmitting, by said base station, a plurality of second control messages to said wireless device on a backward compatible carrier, said plurality of second control messages comprising scheduling information for transmission of packets on the non-backward compatible carrier associated with said backward compatible carrier; and

d) transmitting, by said base station, a plurality of packets to said wireless device on said non-backward compatible carrier according to said scheduling information.

2. The method of claim 1 , before said at least one control message is transmitted, further comprising:

a) encrypting said at least one control message; and

b) protecting said at least one control message by an integrity header.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one control message:

a) further includes configuration information for physical channels for said wireless device; and

b) causes said wireless device to set up or modify at least one radio bearer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein one of said at least one control message configures at least one of a physical layer parameter, a MAC layer parameter and an RLC layer parameter.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein one of said at least one control message comprises radio link configuration information comprising uplink channel configuration and handover parameters.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said base station receives from said wireless device, a response message, said response message comprising a preferred PLMN ID.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein one of said at least one control message comprises a radio resource configuration comprising a physical channel configuration.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising said base station transmitting a channel state information reference signal on:

a) said at least one non-backward compatible carrier; and

b) said at least one backward compatible carrier.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising said base station transmitting a demodulation reference signal on:

a) said at least one non-backward compatible carrier; and

b) said at least one backward compatible carrier.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the format of said channel state information is configured by one of said at least one control message.

11. A method comprising:

a) receiving, by a wireless device, at least one control message from a base station, said at least one control message comprising:

i) an identifier for each carrier in a plurality of carriers, said plurality of carriers comprising:

(1) at least one backward compatible carrier; and

(2) at least one non-backward compatible carrier, a first common reference signal overhead of each of said at least one non-backward compatible carrier being substantially lower than a second common reference signal overhead of each of said at least one backward compatible carrier;

ii) information identifying a carrier type for each of said plurality of carriers, said carrier type being one of a backward compatible type and non-backward compatible type; and

iii) information associating each of said at least one non-backward compatible carrier with one of said at least one backward compatible carrier;

b) receiving, by said wireless device, a plurality of second control messages from said base station on a backward compatible carrier, said plurality of second control messages comprising scheduling information for transmission of packets on the non-backward compatible carrier associated with said backward compatible carrier; and

c) receiving, by said wireless device, a plurality of packets from said base station on said non-backward compatible carrier according to said scheduling information.

12. The method of claim 11 , after said at least one control message is received, further comprising:

a) decrypting said at least one control message; and

b) verifying an integrity header for each of said at least one control message.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein said at least one control message:

a) further includes configuration information for physical channels for said wireless device; and

b) causes said wireless device to set up or modify at least one radio bearer.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein one of said at least one control message configures at least one of a physical layer parameter, a MAC layer parameter and an RLC layer parameter.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein one of said at least one control message comprises radio link configuration information comprising an uplink channel configuration and handover parameters.

16. A base station comprising:

a) one or more communication interfaces;

b) one or more processors; and

c) memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause said base station to:

i) transmit at least one control message to a wireless device, said at least one control message comprising:

(1) an identifier for each carrier in a plurality of carriers, said plurality of carriers comprising:

(a) at least one backward compatible carrier; and

(b) at least one non-backward compatible carrier, a first common reference signal overhead of each of said at least one non-backward compatible carrier being substantially lower than a second common reference signal overhead of each of said at least one backward compatible carrier;

(2) information identifying a carrier type for each of said plurality of carriers, said carrier type being one of a backward compatible type and non-backward compatible type; and

(3) information associating each of said at least one non-backward compatible carrier with one of said at least one backward compatible carrier;

ii) receive channel state information of one of said at least one non-backward compatible carrier from said wireless device on an uplink carrier of one of said at least one backward compatible carrier.

17. The base station of claim 16 , wherein said instructions that, when executed, cause said base station to further transmit a channel state information reference signal on:

a) said at least one non-backward compatible carrier; and

b) said at least one backward compatible carrier.

18. The base station of claim 16 , wherein said instructions that, when executed, cause said base station to further transmit a demodulation reference signal on:

a) said at least one non-backward compatible carrier; and

b) said at least one backward compatible carrier.

19. The base station of claim 16 , wherein the format of said channel state information is configured by one of said at least one control message.

20. The base station of claim 16 , wherein one of said at least one control message comprises a radio resource configuration, said radio resource configuration comprises a physical channel configuration.