A method and apparatus for implementing space frequency block coding (SFBC) in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) wireless communication system may be provided. Channel quality information (CQI) may be received, for example, on a per group of OFDM sub-carrier basis. A channel coded data stream may be generated. SFBC encoding may be performed on the channel coded data stream in an open loop mode, for example, such that the SFBC encoding is performed using a plurality of pairs of OFDM sub-carriers. A portion of the channel coded data stream that is SFBC encoded using a pair of OFDM sub-carriers of an OFDM symbol may be SFBC encoded independently of another portion of the channel coded data stream that is SFBC encoded using other pairs of OFDM sub-carriers of the OFDM symbol. The SFBC encoded data may be transmitted over the plurality of OFDM sub-carriers as an OFDM signal.