Apparatus and method for providing a beacon signal in a wireless communication system

A beacon signal (313) is provided in a wireless communication system using a hybrid matrix (303) and an inverse hybrid matrix (306). Using an unused port of the hybrid matrix (303), the beacon signal (313) is combined with traffic signals (316) intended for users of the wireless communication system. The hybrid matrix (303) transforms beacon signal (313) and the traffic signals (316) into output signals that each contain a portion of the beacon signal (313) and the traffic signals (316). The outputs from the hybrid matrix (303) are amplified by amplifiers (315). The outputs from the amplifiers (315) are then inverse transformed by an inverse hybrid matrix (306). The inverse transform matrix (306) recombines the portions of the beacon signal (313) and the traffic signals (316) originally input to the hybrid matrix (303), and the resulting signals are transmitted using sector antennas (320) and a beacon antenna (323).