Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A narrowband internet of things (NB-IoT) user equipment (UE) associated with a non-terrestrial wireless network may identify a first synchronization procedure that is specific to the non-terrestrial network and different from synchronization procedures specific to terrestrial networks. In some cases, the UE may identify a different channel raster or may receive an indication of a true frequency of operation of a narrowband cell in the non-terrestrial network. The UE may identify the narrowband cell associated with the non-terrestrial network and may synchronize with the network using the identified synchronization procedure.