A method for decoding a data symbol carried by a signal received by a receiver of a communication system, the data symbol being modulated by a spread code sequence selected from a plurality of spread code sequences being quasi-orthogonal to each other to differentiate the symbol from other data symbols, and being received as a set of modulation bits, the method including a step of correlating the modulated data symbol received with each of the plurality of spread code sequences, and the correlating step is preceded by a step of sub-sampling the modulated data symbol received to mask one or more of the modulation bits therein, such that the step of correlating the sub-sampled data symbol received is carried out only for the non-masked modulation bits. It extends to a demodulation unit configured for the implementation of this method, and to a receiver integrating such a unit.