Techniques for the design and use of a digital signal processor, including processing transmissions in a communications (e.g., code division multiple access) system. Power-efficient sign extension for Booth multiplication processes involves applying a sign bit in a Booth multiplication tree. The sign bit allows the Booth multiplication process to perform a sign extension step. This further involves one-extending a predetermined partial product row of the Booth multiplication tree using a sign bit for preserving the correct sign of the predetermined partial product row. The process and system resolve the signal value of the sign bit by generating a sign-extension bit in the Booth multiplication tree. The sign-extension bit is positioned in a carry-out column to extend the product of the Booth multiplication process. Then, the method and system form a final product from the Booth multiplication tree by adding the carry-out value to the sign bit positioned at least a predetermined column of the Booth multiplication tree. The result is to effectively extend the sum component of the final product with the sign and zero-extending the carry component of the final product.