The exemplary embodiments of this invention provide a multi-stage approach, where, for example, one number can signal a first type of resource allocation (e.g., a consecutive allocation) or a second type of resource allocation (e.g., a best-M allocation based on best-M channel quality information). In one exemplary embodiment, a method includes: allocating a plurality of resource blocks to obtain a resource allocation; and signaling the resource allocation using an n-bit number, where the n-bit number expresses a value from an overall range of values having a first range of values and a second range of values, where a value within the first range of values specifies a first type of resource allocation and where a value within the second range of values specifies a second type of resource allocation, where the first type of resource allocation is different from the second type of resource allocation.