diff --git a/lte/phy/lib/modem/src/soft_algs.c b/lte/phy/lib/modem/src/soft_algs.c
index 9ecd2b599..12e12591c 100644
--- a/lte/phy/lib/modem/src/soft_algs.c
+++ b/lte/phy/lib/modem/src/soft_algs.c
@@ -54,45 +54,40 @@ void llr_approx(const _Complex float *in, float *out, int N, int M, int B,
     _Complex float *symbols, uint32_t (*S)[6][32], float sigma2) {
   int i, s, b;
   float num, den;
-  float new_num, new_den;
-  float idiff0, qdiff0, idiff1, qdiff1;
   int change_sign = -1;
+  float x, y, d[64];
 
-  for (s=0; s<N; s++) {    /* recevied symbols */
-      for (b=0; b<B; b++) {/* bits per symbol*/
-          /* initiate num[b] and den[b] */
-    idiff0 = __real__ in[s] - __real__ symbols[S[0][b][0]];
-    qdiff0 = __imag__ in[s] - __imag__ symbols[S[0][b][0]];
-          num = idiff0*idiff0 + qdiff0*qdiff0;
+  for (s=0; s<N; s++) {  	/* recevied symbols */
+	  /* Compute the distances squared d[i] between the received symbol and all constellation points */
+	  for (i=0; i<M; i++) {
+		x = __real__ in[s] - __real__ symbols[i];
+		y = __imag__ in[s] - __imag__ symbols[i];
+		d[i] = x*x + y*y;
+	  }
 
-          idiff1 = __real__ in[s] - __real__ symbols[S[1][b][0]];
-          qdiff1 = __imag__ in[s] - __imag__ symbols[S[1][b][0]];
-          den = idiff1*idiff1 + qdiff1*qdiff1;
+	  for (b=0; b<B; b++) {/* bits per symbol*/
+	  	/* initiate num[b] and den[b] */
+		num = d[S[0][b][0]];
+		den = d[S[1][b][0]];
 
-          /* half the constellation symbols have '1'|'0' at any bit pos. */
-          for (i=1; i<M/2; i++) {
-            idiff0 = __real__ in[s] - __real__ symbols[S[0][b][i]];
-            qdiff0 = __imag__ in[s] - __imag__ symbols[S[0][b][i]];
-            new_num = idiff0*idiff0 + qdiff0*qdiff0;
-
-            idiff1 = __real__ in[s] - __real__ symbols[S[1][b][i]];
-            qdiff1 = __imag__ in[s] - __imag__ symbols[S[1][b][i]];
-            new_den = idiff1*idiff1 + qdiff1*qdiff1;
-
-            if (new_num < num) {
-              num = new_num;
-            }
-            if (new_den < den) {
-              den = new_den;
-            }
-          }
-          /* Theoretical LLR and approximate LLR values are positive if
-           * symbol(s) with '0' is/are closer and negative if symbol(s)
-           * with '1' are closer.
-           * Change sign if mapping negative to '0' and positive to '1' */
-          out[s*B+b] = change_sign*(den-num)/sigma2;
-      }
+		/* Minimum distance squared search between recevied symbol and a constellation point with a
+		 '1' and a '0' for each bit position */
+	        for (i=1; i<M/2; i++) { /* half the constellation points have '1'|'0' at any given bit position */
+	        	if (d[S[0][b][i]] < num) {
+	        		num = d[S[0][b][i]];
+	        	}
+	        	if (d[S[1][b][i]] < den) {
+	        		den = d[S[1][b][i]];
+	        	}
+	        }
+	        /* Theoretical LLR and approximate LLR values are positive if
+	         * symbol(s) with '0' is/are closer and negative if symbol(s)
+	         * with '1' are closer.
+	         * Change sign if mapping negative to '0' and positive to '1' */
+	        out[s*B+b] = change_sign*(den-num)/sigma2;
+	  }
   }
+
 }
 
 /**
@@ -115,29 +110,32 @@ void llr_exact(const _Complex float *in, float *out, int N, int M, int B,
     _Complex float *symbols, uint32_t (*S)[6][32], float sigma2) {
   int i, s, b;
   float num, den;
-  float idiff0, qdiff0, idiff1, qdiff1;
   int change_sign = -1;
+  float x, y, d[64];
 
-  for (s=0; s<N; s++) {    /* recevied symbols */
-      for (b=0; b<B; b++) {/* bits per symbol*/
-          /* initiate num[b] and den[b] */
-    num = 0;
-    den = 0;
-          /* half the constellation symbols have '1'|'0' at any bit pos. */
-          for (i=0; i<M/2; i++) {
-            idiff0 = __real__ in[s] - __real__ symbols[S[0][b][i]];
-            qdiff0 = __imag__ in[s] - __imag__ symbols[S[0][b][i]];
-            num += exp(-1*(idiff0*idiff0 + qdiff0*qdiff0)/sigma2);
+  for (s=0; s<N; s++) {  	/* recevied symbols */
+    	/* Compute exp{·} of the distances squared d[i] between the received symbol and all constellation points */
+    	for (i=0; i<M; i++) {
+    		x = __real__ in[s] - __real__ symbols[i];
+    		y = __imag__ in[s] - __imag__ symbols[i];
+    		d[i] = exp(-1*(x*x + y*y)/sigma2);
+    	}
 
-            idiff1 = __real__ in[s] - __real__ symbols[S[1][b][i]];
-            qdiff1 = __imag__ in[s] - __imag__ symbols[S[1][b][i]];
-            den += exp(-1*(idiff1*idiff1 + qdiff1*qdiff1)/sigma2);
-          }
-          /* Theoretical LLR and approximate LLR values are positive if
-           * symbol(s) with '0' is/are closer and negative if symbol(s)
-           * with '1' are closer.
-           * Change sign if mapping negative to '0' and positive to '1' */
-          out[s*B+b] = change_sign*log(num/den);
-      }
+	/* Sum up the corresponding d[i]'s for each bit position */
+    	for (b=0; b<B; b++) {/* bits per symbol*/
+    		/* initiate num[b] and den[b] */
+    		num = 0;
+    		den = 0;
+    	    	
+    	        for (i=0; i<M/2; i++) { /* half the constellation points have '1'|'0' at any given bit position */
+    	        	num += d[S[0][b][i]];
+    	        	den += d[S[1][b][i]];
+    	        }
+    	        /* Theoretical LLR and approximate LLR values are positive if
+    	         * symbol(s) with '0' is/are closer and negative if symbol(s)
+    	         * with '1' are closer.
+    	         * Change sign if mapping negative to '0' and positive to '1' */
+    	        out[s*B+b] = change_sign*log(num/den);
+	}
   }
 }