A network node device includes a radio transceiver configured to receive a data sequence from a plurality of user equipments (UEs) over first and second sets of resource elements, wherein the first set of resource elements is mapped non-orthogonally and the second set is mapped orthogonally. The network node device further comprises a processor configured to determine channel vectors based at least in part on the data sequence received over the first set of resource elements or over the second set of resource elements, and to utilize the data sequence as received over the second set of resource elements to associate the determined channel vectors with each of the plurality of UEs.