A method and apparatus transmit an output stream of symbols over an antenna port. Data can be encoded to generate encoded data at a transmitter at a base station. At least two streams of modulated symbols can be generated at the base station from the encoded data. Each of the at least two streams of modulated symbols can correspond to an antenna port of a plurality of antenna ports at the base station. A non-empty subset of the at least two streams of the modulated symbols can be selected at the base station. The selected subset of the at least two streams of symbols can be transmitted from the base station over an antenna port implemented by applying a weighting to a plurality of antennas.