The use of code division multiple access (CDMA) makes third-generation wireless systems interference limited rather than noise limited. The research for new methods to reduce interference and increase efficiency lead us to formulate a signaling method where fast impulsive silence states are mapped on zero-energy symbols. The theoretical formulation of the optimum receiver is reported and the asymptotic multiuser efficiency (AME) as well as an upper bound of the probability of error have been derived and applied to the conventional receiver and the decorrelating detector. Moreover, computer simulations have been performed to show the advantages of the proposed two-state scheme over the traditional single-state receiver in a multiuser CDMA system operating in a multipath fading channel.