Methods, devices and computer program products are provided to improve uplink communications in a wireless communication system. Reference symbols in an uplink transmission radio subframe are time-frequency multiplexed with additional data symbols. The multiplexed data symbols are transmitted in an uplink transmission to another device within the wireless communication network along with non-multiplexed data symbols. The multiplexing operations enable the transmission of additional data symbols without increasing the overhead associated with the transmission of symbols in the radio subframe.