This paper addresses the channel estimation problem in multi-cell interference-limited cellular networks with multiple antennas, focusing on both finite and large-scale antenna configurations (massive MIMO). The primary challenge is the pilot contamination effect, which hinders performance. The proposed solution involves low-rate coordination between cells during the channel estimation phase, leveraging second-order statistical information about user channels. This approach effectively reduces pilot contamination, especially in the large antenna number regime, where the pilot contamination effect vanishes under certain conditions on the channel covariance. The paper also introduces a covariance-aware pilot assignment strategy to optimize the use of covariance matrices, enhancing channel estimation accuracy. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated through theoretical analysis and simulations, showing significant improvements over conventional channel estimation frameworks, even with small antenna array sizes.This paper addresses the channel estimation problem in multi-cell interference-limited cellular networks with multiple antennas, focusing on both finite and large-scale antenna configurations (massive MIMO). The primary challenge is the pilot contamination effect, which hinders performance. The proposed solution involves low-rate coordination between cells during the channel estimation phase, leveraging second-order statistical information about user channels. This approach effectively reduces pilot contamination, especially in the large antenna number regime, where the pilot contamination effect vanishes under certain conditions on the channel covariance. The paper also introduces a covariance-aware pilot assignment strategy to optimize the use of covariance matrices, enhancing channel estimation accuracy. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated through theoretical analysis and simulations, showing significant improvements over conventional channel estimation frameworks, even with small antenna array sizes.