Modulation spreading for wireless communications

An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

• a processor;
• memory coupled with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and operable, when executed by the processor, to cause the apparatus to:
• identify a data stream for transmission to a wireless device;
• encode, based at least in part on a code rate, at least a portion of the data stream to obtain a set of encoded bits;
• modulate, for a first symbol, a first subset of the set of encoded bits of the data stream using a first modulator;
• modulate, for a second symbol, a second subset of the set of encoded bits of the data stream using a second modulator different from the first modulator;
• apply a scrambling code to the modulated first subset of encoded bits and to the modulated second subset of encoded bits prior to transmission, wherein the scrambling code is specific to the wireless device;
• and
• transmit the scrambled modulated first subset of encoded bits and the scrambled modulated second subset of encoded bits.