diff --git a/common/utils/nr/nr_common.c b/common/utils/nr/nr_common.c
index a704a66c76..42c7ef9c7e 100644
--- a/common/utils/nr/nr_common.c
+++ b/common/utils/nr/nr_common.c
@@ -472,6 +472,11 @@ int get_subband_size(int NPRB,int size) {
  
 }
 
+// from start symbol index and nb or symbols to symbol occupation bitmap in a slot
+uint16_t startandlength_to_bitmat(int startSymbolIndex, int nrOfSymbols) {
+ return (((1<<nrOfSymbols)-1)<<startSymbolIndex);
+}
+
 void SLIV2SL(int SLIV,int *S,int *L) {
 
   int SLIVdiv14 = SLIV/14;
diff --git a/common/utils/nr/nr_common.h b/common/utils/nr/nr_common.h
index d9f2b0c03a..ffaa1bc9fc 100644
--- a/common/utils/nr/nr_common.h
+++ b/common/utils/nr/nr_common.h
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ uint32_t nr_get_code_rate(uint8_t Imcs, uint8_t table_idx);
 int get_subband_size(int NPRB,int size);
 void SLIV2SL(int SLIV,int *S,int *L);
 int get_dmrs_port(int nl, uint16_t dmrs_ports);
+uint16_t startandlength_to_bitmat(int startSymbolIndex, int nrOfSymbols);
 
 #define CEILIDIV(a,b) ((a+b-1)/b)
 #define ROUNDIDIV(a,b) (((a<<1)+b)/(b<<1))