In a wireless MIMO communication system for N symbols of a frame of information, allocating N1 symbols to a stronger eigen sub-channel and N2 symbols to a weaker eigen sub-channel, where N1>N2; determining a probability of reception error when transmitting the N2 symbols through the weaker eigen sub-channel for an auxiliary signal-to-noise ratio; solving for a quality of service QoS of the weaker eigen sub-channel and if the QoS is less than a desired QoS, decreasing the value of N and repeating allocating symbols, determining the probability of reception error and solving for the QoS. Another aspect includes asymmetrically allocating spreading codes to a stronger eigen sub-channel and to a weaker eigen sub-channel such that the stronger eigen sub-channel is allocated more spreading codes than the weaker eigen sub-channel; and transmitting all systematic bits of turbo coded information over the stronger eigen sub-channel.