A method for reducing interference in a desired signal in a GSM communication system uses a finite-impulse-response filter for alternate linear equalization. The method includes a first step (300) of inputting a burst of data of a received waveform including interference from a channel of the communication system. A next step (302) includes training the finite-impulse-response filter with a set of symbols of specific quadrature phase, known a priori, in the burst of data of the received waveform. For example known real only and imaginary only symbols are alternatively selected from a midamble of the data burst. A next step (304) includes operating on the received waveform with the finite-impulse-response filter to alternately linearly equalize the burst of data to provide an estimate of the desired signal.