A method and an apparatus for providing reference signal received power (RSRP) are disclosed herein. A signal is received in a modem. Signal elements at reference signal (RS) locations are extracted from the received signal. The signal elements at the RS locations are descrambled. Virtual reference signal (VRS) elements are formed using the descrambled signal elements. The VRS elements have smaller noise variances than original RS elements in corresponding locations of the received signal. The RSRP is estimated from the VRS elements.