u201d affect the number of bits in a code word small changes in the number of actual encoded data bits may be masked with the use of padding bits conceptually it is easiest to account for the addition of padding bits as a part of the channel coding operation the invention is naturally insensitive to the specific scheme that is used for channel coding and interleaving however for example in the case of enhancing the operation of an existing system the gsm with new functionalities the edge it is most advantageous to take the interleaving schemes directly from the specifications of the existing system the interleaving schemes of gsm are as previously mentioned known to the person skilled in the art from the gsm specifications published by etsi specifically the gsm spesifications number ts gsm 05 01 ts gsm 05 02 ts gsm 05 03 ts gsm 05 04 ts gsm 05 05 ts gsm 05 08 ts gsm 05 10 and ts gsm 04 03 deal with the channel coding interleaving ciphering and modulation issues new channel coding schemes that work well with the invention are for example turbo coding and serial concatenated coding fig4 illustrates a generalisation of the principle of diagonal interleaving that follows always the same rules irrespective of changes in code word structure a digital burst 401 is shown to consist of symbols of which the symbols 402 403 404 405 and 406 are separately shown the digital burst may principally contain any number of symbols each symbol consists of s bits here s 3 each symbol has its origin somewhere among the code words to be interleaved code words 407 408 409 and 410.