1. A method, comprising: determining, by a processor, a level of error protection of each bit position within symbols of a particular constellation map used for modulation-based communication; determining, by the processor, priority levels of application data bits to be placed into a communication frame; placing, by the processor, the application data bits into symbols of the communication frame, wherein higher priority application data bits are placed into bit positions with greater or equal levels of protection than bit positions into which lower priority application data bits are placed; and transmitting, by the processor through a network adaptor, the communication frame to one or more receivers with an indication of how to decode the placement of the application data bits within the symbols.