A data sequence may be encoded in a plurality of layers of multiple description coding. The layers of multiple description coding may include a first and a second layer of multiple description coding. The first layer of multiple description coding may include an initial part of a data sequence as well as forward error correction code for the initial part. The second layer of multiple description coding may include a next part of the data sequence as well as forward error correction code for the next part. A first set of data sequence breakpoints may be determined for the first layer of multiple description coding. A second set of data sequence breakpoints may be determined for the second layer. The data sequence may be encoded in the plurality of layers of multiple description coding as a function of the first and second sets of data sequence breakpoints.