A system is provided for optimizing throughput in a communication system. During operation, the system receives, at a first antenna, estimated channel state information (CSI) at least one channel between the first antenna and at least one second antenna. The system obtains antenna correlation information associated with the first antenna and the second antenna, respectively. The system further calculates a set of noise terms associated with random noise for the at least one channel, and optimizes a configuration of beamformers for the first antenna and the at least one second antenna that maximizes a throughput of all antennas, in accordance with the estimated CSI, the obtained antenna correlation information, and the noise terms.