A method for a first communication device to transmit a resource assignment to at least one communication device, the method comprising: assigning at least one transmission resource for a control channel transmission to transmit the resource assignment, characterized by adapting a code rate of an encoded payload of the control channel transmission based on a threshold and a resource utilization factor, thereby producing an adapted payload, wherein the resource utilization factor comprises a ratio of a number of resources needed to transmit the encoded payload to a number of resources allocated to transmit the encoded payload, wherein adapting a code rate comprises: determining the resource utilization factor for the encoded payload; and adapting the code rate of the encoded payload if the resource utilization factor is not equal to a first value, where the code rate of the encoded payload is not adapted if the resource utilization factor is equal to the first value; wherein the threshold comprises a code rate threshold, and wherein adapting the code rate comprises: determining a code rate of the encoded payload; adapting the code rate up if the code rate is less than the threshold; and adapting the code rate down if the code rate is more than or equal to the threshold; wherein adapting the code rate up comprises: determining a proposed number of resources to transmit the encoded payload; and adding additional resources to the encoded payload to fill resources between the proposed number of resources to transmit the encoded payload and a number of resources allocated to transmit the encoded payload, thereby producing the adapted payload; wherein adapting the code rate down comprises: determining a number of resources to puncture; and puncturing the number of resources from the encoded payload, thereby producing a punctured payload; and transmitting the adapted payload. assigning at least one transmission resource for a control channel transmission to transmit the resource assignment, characterized by adapting a code rate of an encoded payload of the control channel transmission based on a threshold and a resource utilization factor, thereby producing an adapted payload, wherein the resource utilization factor comprises a ratio of a number of resources needed to transmit the encoded payload to a number of resources allocated to transmit the encoded payload, determining the resource utilization factor for the encoded payload; and adapting the code rate of the encoded payload if the resource utilization factor is not equal to a first value, where the code rate of the encoded payload is not adapted if the resource utilization factor is equal to the first value; determining a code rate of the encoded payload; adapting the code rate up if the code rate is less than the threshold; and adapting the code rate down if the code rate is more than or equal to the threshold; determining a proposed number of resources to transmit the encoded payload; and adding additional resources to the encoded payload to fill resources between the proposed number of resources to transmit the encoded payload and a number of resources allocated to transmit the encoded payload, thereby producing the adapted payload; determining a number of resources to puncture; and puncturing the number of resources from the encoded payload, thereby producing a punctured payload; and transmitting the adapted payload.