Embodiments are provided to enable downlink open-loop multi-user coordinated multipoint (MU-CoMP) transmission using sparse code multiple access (SCMA). In an embodiment, a network controller selects, in a cluster of multiple transmission points (TPs) and multiple user equipment (UEs), a MU-CoMP with SCMA transmission mode and a UE paring scheme for data transmission from a set of TPs to a set of UEs. The controller schedules the set of UEs for data transmission from the set of TPs, including coordinating and allocating, for each TP in the set of TPs, a plurality of SCMA layers to the UEs in accordance with the selected MU CoMP with SCMA transmission mode. The controller also determines values for control signaling based on the scheduling. The control signaling configures the set of UEs to detect the data transmission from the TPs.