A transmission diversity method for transmitting on multiple antennas, the method comprising: receiving an indication of a plurality of spreading sequences (1110a, 1110b); encoding a block of information bits comprising a first number of information bits to form a first set of channel coded bits ( s i) comprising a first number of channel coded bits, wherein the ratio of the first number of channel coded bits to the first number of information bits is R2; mapping the channel coded bits to modulation symbols; spreading the modulation symbols to be transmitted on a first antenna of the multiple antennas ( s 1) with a first one of the spreading sequences; spreading the modulation symbols to be transmitted on a second antenna of the multiple antennas ( s 2) with a second one of the spreading sequences; and transmitting the spread modulation symbols from the antennas, wherein the first number of information bits is less than or equal to a number of bits mapped to the modulation symbols transmitted on an antenna of the multiple antennas, and wherein a single antenna transmission mode is additionally supported, comprising: transmitting on one of the first or second antennas in the single antenna transmission mode of operation producing a second set of channel coded bits, wherein a second number of information bits in the single antenna transmission mode is the same as the first number of information bits, and a second number of channel coded bits is produced, and the ratio of the second number of channel coded bits to the first number of information bits is R1, and the ratio of R2 to R1 is greater than one, and all of the second set of channel coded bits are the same as a portion of the first set of channel coded bits. receiving an indication of a plurality of spreading sequences (1110a, 1110b); encoding a block of information bits comprising a first number of information bits to form a first set of channel coded bits ( s i) comprising a first number of channel coded bits, wherein the ratio of the first number of channel coded bits to the first number of information bits is R2; mapping the channel coded bits to modulation symbols; spreading the modulation symbols to be transmitted on a first antenna of the multiple antennas ( s 1) with a first one of the spreading sequences; spreading the modulation symbols to be transmitted on a second antenna of the multiple antennas ( s 2) with a second one of the spreading sequences; and transmitting the spread modulation symbols from the antennas, wherein the first number of information bits is less than or equal to a number of bits mapped to the modulation symbols transmitted on an antenna of the multiple antennas, and wherein a single antenna transmission mode is additionally supported, comprising: transmitting on one of the first or second antennas in the single antenna transmission mode of operation producing a second set of channel coded bits, wherein a second number of information bits in the single antenna transmission mode is the same as the first number of information bits, and a second number of channel coded bits is produced, and the ratio of the second number of channel coded bits to the first number of information bits is R1, and the ratio of R2 to R1 is greater than one, and all of the second set of channel coded bits are the same as a portion of the first set of channel coded bits.