A channel norm-based ordering and whitened decoding technique (lower complexity iterative decoder) for MIMO communication systems performs approximately the same level of performance as an iterative minimum mean squared error decoder. Decoding a signal vector comprises receiving a signal vector yk, multiplying the received signal vector yk by a conjugate transpose of a channel matrix H*. A column vector zk is generated. The entries of the column vector zk are reordered and an estimated channel matrix {tilde over (H)} is generated. The estimated channel matrix {tilde over (H)} decomposed using a Cholesky decomposition and generating a triangular matrix L. Triangular matrix L is solved backwards and a signal vector {tilde over (s)}k estimated. An estimate of the transmitted symbol vector Ŝk is generated.