A method of detecting received data in a communication system includes the steps of: performing a QR decomposition on a received input vector as a function of one or more characteristics of a communication channel over which the input vector was transmitted; generating a subset of best symbol candidates from a symbol constellation by comparing an input sample (corresponding to an element of the input vector) with one or more prescribed thresholds; identifying at least one symbol satisfying prescribed minimum Euclidian distance criteria among multiple ambiguity symbols in the subset of best symbol candidates; and generating a subset of best symbols including a prescribed number of symbols from the symbol constellation determined to be closest to the input sample. The subset of best symbols is used in a subsequent iteration of the steps of generating the subset of best symbol candidates and identifying at least one symbol satisfying the prescribed minimum Euclidian distance criteria.