A communication relay apparatus (R) for providing a network-encoded information unit sequence (x 4 ) comprises a first channel decoder (204) which is configured to supervise a first wireless channel (200), to receive a first channel-encoded sequence of information units (y 14 ) from a first data source (MS1) via the first wireless channel (200) and to decode the first channel-encoded sequence of information units (y 14 ) to obtain a first decoded sequence of information units (û 14 ). Furthermore, the communication relay apparatus comprises a second channel decoder (206) which is configured to supervise a second wireless channel (202), to receive a second channel-encoded sequence of information units (y 24 ) from a second data source (MS2) via the second wireless channel (202) and to decode the second channel-encoded sequence of information units (y 24 ) to obtain a second decoded sequence of information units (û 24 ), the first and second wireless channels (200, 202) being different from each other. Finally, the communication relay apparatus comprises a network-encoder (208) which is configured to encode information of the first and second decoded sequences of information units (û 14 , û 24 ) into the network-encoded information unit sequence (x 4 ) and wherein the network-encoder is further configured to wirelessly transmit the network-encoded information unit sequence (x 4 ) to a data sink (BS).