System and methods for allocating user equipment (UE) specific carrier bandwidth are described. A bases station may advertise cell specific carrier bandwidth and an initial bandwidth part that represent a subset of the carrier bandwidth available to the base station. A UE may respond with an indication that is has bandwidth capabilities that include a greater range of frequencies than those of the cell specific carrier bandwidth. In response, the base station may instruct the UE to use this greater range of frequencies as a UE specific carrier bandwidth, allowing the UE to operate using a range of frequencies that exceed the advertised cell specific carrier bandwidth.