In a coherent receiver of an optical communication system, a method of processing a detected symbol estimate to determine a most likely value of a corresponding transmitted data word, the transmitted data word comprising one or more data bits encoded in a transmitter using a predetermined constellation of at least two symbols. A set of two or more virtual constellation points are define in a decision region corresponding to a possible value of the data word. The detected symbol estimate is processed to find a most likely virtual constellation point given the detected symbol estimate. The most likely value of the corresponding transmitted data word is determined based on the most likely virtual constellation point.