A method and apparatus for decoding a frame of interleaved information bits in a communication system, where the decoding of the frame of interleaved information bits may begin before all of the bits in the frame are received. The frame of interleaved information bits has a frame start time and a frame end time. The frame also includes a first fractional segment that has a start time that is the same as the frame start time and an end time that is before the frame end time. Prior to transmission of the frame of interleaved information bits to a decoding site, all bits in the frame are encoded at a code rate R to provide encoded bits, and the encoded bits are positioned in the interleaved frame in accordance with an interleaving pattern that stores bits having a code rate R1 within a first fractional segment of the interleaved frame.