In order to reduce ambiguity in NB-SSS and complexity of receiver processing, a transmitter apparatus generates an SSS, wherein the SSS signal comprises a sequence of OFDM symbols, wherein each symbol of the sequence of SSS symbols is mapped to a codeword symbol of an FEC code. Source symbols of the sequence of SSS symbols carry a PCID and frame timing information, and parity symbols of the sequence of SSS symbols introduce redundancy and coding gain. A receiver receives the NB-SSS over multiple OFDM symbols, each symbol of the SSS comprising a short ZC sequence with a combination of root index and cyclic shift. The apparatus derives path metrics using cross-correlation for each of the plurality of symbols, determines a candidate SSS source message based on the derived path metrics and coding constraints of FEC codewords, and identifies a PCID and timing information based on the candidate SSS source message.