An apparatus comprises a coherent optical transmitter. The coherent optical transmitter comprises a first modulator for generating a first polarization, a second modulator for generating a second polarization, and a symbol interleaver configured to receive a first symbol stream intended to be transmitted on a first polarization and a second symbol stream intended to be transmitted on a second polarization, to direct one portion of symbols of the first symbol stream to the first modulator for modulation onto the first polarization and another portion of the symbols of the first symbol stream to the second modulator for modulation onto the second polarization, and to direct one portion of symbols of the second symbol stream to the first modulator for modulation onto the first polarization and another portion of the symbols of the second symbol stream to the second modulator for modulation onto the second polarization.