Abstract: A method of cellular communication among a subscriber unit, a base station and a switch controller is provided which comprises the steps of digitally encoding speech signals at the subscriber unit; generating radio forward error correction (FEC) at the subscriber unit to protect the encoded speech signals during transmission; transmitting the encoded speech signals together with the radio FEC by radio from the subscriber unit to the base station; error correcting the transmitted encoded speech signals at the base station using the radio FEC; generating wire FEC to protect the encoded speech signals during transmission; transmitting the encoded speech signals together with the wire FEC from the base station to the controller; error correcting the transmitted encoded speech signals at the controller using the wire FEC; and decoding the digitally encoded speech signals at the controller.