A Multicode (MC) Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) receiver receives J encoded multicode channels (where J>1) over L multiple air signal paths (where L>1) and forms a decorrelator output vector in which for each of the J multicode channels, the interference caused by the other J-1 multicode channels has been cancelled. When the MC CDMA receiver is a coherent receiver, a pilot interference canceller cancels a received pilot signal from the J channel code of each of the received J multicode channels prior to forming the decorrelator output vector.

A Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA) receiver removes the pilot signal from the received signal. The pilot signal is defined by its multipath parameters (amplitudes, phase shift and delays) and its signature sequence. Since this information is known at the user's receiver terminal (i.e., handset), the pilot signals of the interfering multipath components of the baseband received signal are detected and removed prior to demodulation of the desired multipath component. The pilot signal may be cancelled prior to or following the data accumulation stage. The pilot signal cancellation can be switched on and off depending on the detected path signal level.