A transmitter apparatus in a wireless communication system that includes a processor. In one embodiment, the processor is configured to receive at least one modulated data message and spread the at least one modulated data message into a transmission signal using a low density signature matrix. The low density signature matrix is a cycle-free signature matrix. A receiver apparatus is configured to receive the transmission signal and detect within the received transmission signal at least one modulated data message. The processor is configured to detect the at least one modulated data message in one iteration using the cycle-free signature matrix.