A receiver restores a transmitted information bit series accurately by performing maximum-likelihood series estimation. The operation of the receiver includes estimating characteristics of a transmission line for each symbol based on the amplitude and phases of pilot symbols which are extracted from reception symbol groups, calculating weighting factors showing the reliability of the transmission line in symbols based on the estimation result and the reception symbol groups, multiplying each symbol of information symbol groups which are extracted from the reception symbol groups by the weighting factors to reflect the transmission-line reliability in symbols, and restoring an information bit series by applying maximum-likelihood series estimation to coded bit groups restored from the information symbol groups on which the reliability is reflected.