A method for processing forward link channel signals generated by a CDMA base station includes time sharing by several mobile stations of spreading codes, which are orthogonal codes such as Walsh Code, and code-combining soft/softer handoff across sectors in the mobile station active set to increase dimensions on the CDMA2000 and WCDMA downlink while minimizing intra-sector interference. Since different parts of a packet or frame are transmitted to the user by the different base stations in the active set, earlier decoding and therefore early packet termination is enabled.