Apparatus and method for error correction in mobile wireless applications incorporating multi-level and adaptive erasure data

A receiver (120) is configured to receive data over a communications link. A decapsulator (122) is coupled to the receiver and configured to create datagrams and erasure attributes associated with the datagrams. A decoder (124) is coupled to the decapsulator and configured to store the datagrams in a frame table and track the progression thereof to create codewords, the decoder storing the datagrams in table columns to create codewords in table rows, and configured to store the erasure attributes in an erasure table. A user interlace (126) is coupled to the decoder and configured to render images corresponding with the datagrams on the user interface. Advantages of the invention include improved signal reception and processing, and prolonged battery life in mobile wireless devices.