A user equipment and corresponding method detect a frequency division permanent common pilot and include a controller configured to use a sliding correlator with a frequency division phase-shift, an averaging unit configured to average a peak magnitude output of the sliding correlator over a predetermined number of sub-frames for each of possible reference pilot sequence and each sample shift of the sliding correlator, and a maximum peak storing unit configured to store first and second maximum peaks depending on corresponding ratios and a threshold. The user equipment and method thereof also include a pilot sequence index candidate storing unit configured to store a pilot sequence index candidate for each shift of the sliding correlator. The user equipment and method thereof include a selector configured to select the pilot sequence index candidate with a lowest peak ratio to shift the sliding correlator.