Channel quality indicator (CQI) reporting with CQI headroom

According to one or more embodiments, a wireless device configured to report one of a plurality of predefined Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) values is provided. A maximum CQI value of the plurality of predefined CQI values corresponds to any one of a plurality of signal characteristic values greater than or equal to a threshold signal characteristic value. The wireless device includes processing circuitry configured to determine a first signal characteristic value associated with a received signal. The processing circuitry is further configured to if the first signal characteristic value is greater than or equal to the threshold signal characteristic value associated with the maximum CQI value, generate a CQI report indicating: the maximum CQI value, and a power backoff from the first signal characteristic value that results in the threshold signal characteristic value.