Methods and apparatus are provided for performing SOVA detection at higher data rates than achievable with conventional designs. A received signal is processed by (i) determining at least three selection signals that define a plurality of paths through a multiple-step trellis into a given state, wherein a first of the plurality of paths is a winning path for each single-step-trellis period of a multiple-step-trellis cycle, a second path is a winning path for a first single-step-trellis period and is a losing path for a second single-step-trellis period of a multiple-step-trellis cycle and a third path is a losing path for a first single-step-trellis period and is a winning path for a second single-step-trellis period of a multiple-step-trellis cycle; and (ii) determining at least one reliability value (such as a reliability value for a bit decision associated with a maximum-likelihood path through the multiple-step trellis or a plurality of reliability values for each multiple-step-trellis cycle).