A method for decoding coded subband configuration data ( s SBconfig) for subband groups ( g) valid for one or more frames of a coded audio signal, wherein each subband group is equal to one original subband or is a combination of two or more adjacent original subbands, the bandwidth of a following subband group is greater than or equal to the bandwidth of a current subband group, and the number of original subbands N FB is predefined, which subband configuration data is arranged as a sequence of: a number N SB of subband groups coded as a fixed number of bits ( N b,SB) representing N SB - 1, a bandwidth value B SB for a first subband group coded with a unary code representing B SB - 1, and if N SB = 3, one bandwidth difference value Δ B SB = B SB - B SB coded with a fixed number of bits ( N b,lastDiff), and if N SB > 3, a set of bandwidth difference values Δ B SB [ g]= B SB [ g]- B SB [ g -1], g = 2,..., N SB - 2, coded with a unary code, and one bandwidth difference value Δ B SB [ N SB -1] = B sB [ N SB - 1] - B SB [ N SB - 2] coded with a fixed number of bits ( N b,lastDiff), the method comprising: - determining the number of subband groups N SB by adding '1' to a decoded version of the coded number of subband groups; - determining for the first subband group g = 1 a bandwidth value B SB by adding '1' to a decoded version of the corresponding coded bandwidth value; - if N SB = 3, in addition to determining said bandwidth value B SB for said first subband group g = 1, decoding for subband group g = 2 from the coded version of bandwidth difference value Δ B SB a bandwidth value B SB = Δ B SB + B SB; - if N SB > 3, in addition to determining said bandwidth value B SB for said first subband group g = 1, decoding for subband groups g = 2,..., N SB - 2 from the coded version of bandwidth difference values Δ B SB [ g] bandwidth values B SB [ g] = Δ B SB [ g] + B SB [ g - 1], and decoding for subband group g = N SB - 1 from the coded version of bandwidth difference value Δ B SB [ N SB -1] a bandwidth value B SB [ N SB -1] = Δ B SB [ N SB - 1] + B SB [ N SB - 2], - determining the bandwidth value B SB [ N SB] for subband g = N SB by subtracting the bandwidths B SB to B SB [ N SB -1] from N FB, wherein a bandwidth value for a subband group is expressed as number of adjacent original subbands. a number N SB of subband groups coded as a fixed number of bits ( N b,SB) representing N SB - 1, a bandwidth value B SB for a first subband group coded with a unary code representing B SB - 1, and if N SB = 3, one bandwidth difference value Δ B SB = B SB - B SB coded with a fixed number of bits ( N b,lastDiff), and if N SB > 3, a set of bandwidth difference values Δ B SB [ g]= B SB [ g]- B SB [ g -1], g = 2,..., N SB - 2, coded with a unary code, and one bandwidth difference value Δ B SB [ N SB -1] = B sB [ N SB - 1] - B SB [ N SB - 2] coded with a fixed number of bits ( N b,lastDiff), - determining the number of subband groups N SB by adding '1' to a decoded version of the coded number of subband groups; - determining for the first subband group g = 1 a bandwidth value B SB by adding '1' to a decoded version of the corresponding coded bandwidth value; - if N SB = 3, in addition to determining said bandwidth value B SB for said first subband group g = 1, decoding for subband group g = 2 from the coded version of bandwidth difference value Δ B SB a bandwidth value B SB = Δ B SB + B SB; - if N SB > 3, in addition to determining said bandwidth value B SB for said first subband group g = 1, decoding for subband groups g = 2,..., N SB - 2 from the coded version of bandwidth difference values Δ B SB [ g] bandwidth values B SB [ g] = Δ B SB [ g] + B SB [ g - 1], and decoding for subband group g = N SB - 1 from the coded version of bandwidth difference value Δ B SB [ N SB -1] a bandwidth value B SB [ N SB -1] = Δ B SB [ N SB - 1] + B SB [ N SB - 2], - determining the bandwidth value B SB [ N SB] for subband g = N SB by subtracting the bandwidths B SB to B SB [ N SB -1] from N FB,