The embodiments of the invention provide an adaptive method for base station cooperation in a wireless network. In a multi-user communications network that includes base stations, and in which each base station is associated with a cell, and in which each cell includes one or more mobile stations, each base station determines pre-coding matrices for full-cooperation, semi-cooperation and non-cooperation. Each base stations also determines a sum rate SRfull for full-cooperation, a sum rate SRsemi for semi-cooperation, and a sum rate SRnon for non-cooperation. Then, each base station selects the pre-coding for full-cooperation, the pre-coding matrices for semi cooperation, or the pre-coding matrices for non cooperation. Each base station transmits signals according to the selected pre-coding matrices.