A method and apparatus for staggercasting includes encoding a set of signals representing content. The set of encoded signals is capable of being decoded to produce a corresponding set of decoded signals, each having a quality which is different from the qualities of the decoded signals corresponding to the other encoded signals. A composite signal is generated which includes the set of encoded signals, staggered in time. The set of encoded signals extracting from the composite signal. Errors in the set of extracted encoded signals are detected to produce a subset of available extracted encoded signals which are not erroneous. A content representative signal at a selectable desired quality is then decoded.