A method of generating soft bit values for a sequence of transmitted symbols using a demodulator, the method comprising: updating an M-state trellis managed by the demodulator responsive to a transition from symbol time n-1 to symbol time n, where M is a function of the number of bits per symbol in the sequence of transmitted symbols by saving, for each symbol time, survivor metrics associated with the M states of the trellis so that the demodulator can calculate soft bit values with regard to transitions from symbol time n-D to symbol time n-D+1, where D represents the decision depth of the demodulator, the survivor metrics indicating the probability that each respective state represents the transmitted symbol associated with symbol time n-D; and by updating a symbol history for each state in the trellis based on path metrics calculated for the M trellis states at the current symbol time n and G trellis states at the previous symbol time n-1, where G<M, and the G trellis states at the previous symbol time represent the states that are more likely than the remaining (M-G) states based on corresponding survivor metrics; identifying the trellis state for the current symbol time n most likely corresponding to a transmitted symbol; using the symbol history of the identified trellis state for tracing back to the trellis state at symbol time n-D+1 which corresponds to a detected symbol for symbol time n-D+l; determining decision-delayed path metrics for the M trellis states at symbol time n-D and the detected symbol for symbol time n-D+1 based on survivor metrics saved for the M trellis states at symbol time n-D; and generating soft bit values for symbol time n-D as a function of the decision-delayed path metrics, based on the detected symbol at symbol time n-D+1 taken as end state. updating an M-state trellis managed by the demodulator responsive to a transition from symbol time n-1 to symbol time n, where M is a function of the number of bits per symbol in the sequence of transmitted symbols by saving, for each symbol time, survivor metrics associated with the M states of the trellis so that the demodulator can calculate soft bit values with regard to transitions from symbol time n-D to symbol time n-D+1, where D represents the decision depth of the demodulator, the survivor metrics indicating the probability that each respective state represents the transmitted symbol associated with symbol time n-D; and by updating a symbol history for each state in the trellis based on path metrics calculated for the M trellis states at the current symbol time n and G trellis states at the previous symbol time n-1, where G<M, and the G trellis states at the previous symbol time represent the states that are more likely than the remaining (M-G) states based on corresponding survivor metrics; identifying the trellis state for the current symbol time n most likely corresponding to a transmitted symbol; using the symbol history of the identified trellis state for tracing back to the trellis state at symbol time n-D+1 which corresponds to a detected symbol for symbol time n-D+l; determining decision-delayed path metrics for the M trellis states at symbol time n-D and the detected symbol for symbol time n-D+1 based on survivor metrics saved for the M trellis states at symbol time n-D; and generating soft bit values for symbol time n-D as a function of the decision-delayed path metrics, based on the detected symbol at symbol time n-D+1 taken as end state.