The present invention provides a method and apparatus for a new interleaver adaptation scheme that achieves “error free” and zero delay (interleaving—triangular) or near zero delay variation (interleaving—GCI), and with easier implementation but no additional memory required. The dummy insertion methods and systems embodiments of the invention provide an effective dummy byte insertion scheme for applications that require seamless on-line rate changes, e.g., SRA (seamless rate adaptation), DRR (dynamic rate repartitioning) and adaptive INP (impulse noise protection).