A method and apparatus provide hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback corresponding to the status of multiple downlink carriers, with or without MIMO being configured. Here, for at least some configurations, with respect to the selection of HARQ feedback symbols, the downlink carriers are grouped into groups of one or two carriers such that HARQ feedback symbol code books that were previously implemented in conventional HSDPA or DC-HSDPA systems may be utilized. That is, after encoding a data stream, HARQ feedback symbols selected from a plurality of code books configured for groups of one or two of the downlink carriers are utilized to modulate an uplink channel. The modulation or channelization may be accomplished with dual channelization codes or a single channelization code with a reduced spreading factor to insert two symbols into a single time slot.