Mechanisms for recovering data symbols in multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) receivers, the mechanisms comprising receiving, at Na antennas that each have an output: first signals corresponding to Np pilot symbols transmitted from each of K transmitters for a total of Np*K transmitted pilot symbols; and second signals corresponding to a plurality of transmitted data symbols transmitted from the K transmitters, wherein Np is less than Na, and wherein K is less than Na; receiving, at a hardware processor, first digital signals representing the Np*K transmitted pilot symbols; receiving, at the hardware processor, second digital signals representing the plurality of transmitted data symbols; and recovering the plurality of transmitted data symbols using the second digital signals and no more pilot symbols than the Np*K transmitted pilot symbols represented by the first digital signals using the hardware processor.