An exemplary wireless communication network that includes a base that communicates with remote units located in a cell of the network. The base concatenates information symbols with a preamble corresponding to a destination remote unit. One or more remote units communicating with the base each concatenates information symbols with a preamble corresponding to that remote unit. An adaptive receiver system for a base unit rapidly adapts optimal despreading weights for reproducing information symbols transmitted from multiple remote units. A transmitter system for a base unit concatenates information symbols with a preamble associated with a remote unit in the cell. An adaptive receiver system for a remote unit in a communication network rapidly adapts optimal weights for reproducing a signal transmitted to it by a specific base unit in the network.