An apparatus and method for symbol decoding by selecting a degree of freedom (DOF) parameter for a noise vector; selecting a delta probability value; computing a cost function for a lattice point that is one of a discrete set of nominal codeword positions in a hypersphere; selecting a sphere decoding radius based on the DOF parameter, the delta probability value and the cost function; and decoding a symbol using the sphere decoding radius. And, the apparatus and method of setting pre-defined threshold probabilities; computing threshold radii based on the pre-defined threshold probabilities; setting an initial sphere radius square to the value of a first threshold radii; finding the Lattice point based on the initial sphere radius square; computing an updated sphere radius square as the minimum of either a cost function or a second threshold radii; and finding a next lattice point based on the updated sphere radius square.