A user equipment capable of operating in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing communication system wherein a frequency bandwidth comprises a plurality of frequency sub-carriers, the user equipment comprising:
- a processor configured to implement a puncturer/insertion module that receives user data non-associated/data associated control signaling, receives user data, and multiplexes the user data non-associated/data associated control signaling into the user data stream via one or more of puncturing and rate matching to produce a data stream wherein the control signaling and user data information are multiplexed;
- and
- a transmitter coupled to the processor, wherein the processor arranges for a transmission of the data stream via the transmitter and an air interface.