Systems and methods for decoding bitstreams are described. The bitstreams may be encoded using a punctured convolution code and received from a wireless network. A puncture pattern associated with a modulation and coding scheme used to encode the bitstream is determined, and punctured log-likelihood ratios (LLRs) generated from the bitstream are ignored while decoding the bitstream. The puncture pattern may be characterized by one or more algorithms that identify punctured LLRs in a repetitive sequence of LLRs. A decoder may exclude punctured LLRs from calculations related to bitstream decoding. The decoder may comprise a Viterbi decoder or an algebraic decoder. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.