Devices and methods for scheduling and interference cancellation that consider the interference cancellation capability of user equipment (UEs) are disclosed. Using reduced-rate sub-frame (or resource block) strategies, the transmission data rate to a scheduled user in a given cell may be reduced to ensure effective interference cancellation performance at the receiver of a co-scheduled user in another cell. By taking advantage of interference mitigation at one or more terminals, a scheduler may improve network spectral efficiency compared to existing inter-cell interference cancellation schemes, including almost blank sub-frame (ABS), further enhanced inter-cell interference coordination (FeICIC), and other resource partitioning schemes, such as reduced power sub-frames or frequency domain resource partitioning.