A base station includes a controller configured to map initial access signals, each initial access signal corresponding to one of a plurality of transmit beams, to a subset or all of a plurality of predefined time locations in at least one periodicity, and a transmitter configured to transmit the mapped initial access signals to a UE and indicate OFDM symbols that are not mapped with the initial access signals in the one periodicity to the UE. A UE includes a transceiver configured to receive initial access signals mapped to a subset or all of time locations in one periodicity from a base station, the each initial access signal corresponding to one of a plurality of different beams, and a controller configured to perform an initial access to the base station and receive the indication of OFDM symbols that are not mapped with the initial access signals in the one periodicity.