Maximum likelihood synchronization for a communications system using a pilot symbol

A method and apparatus for detecting and synchronizing packets of data with a repeated sequence as a pilot symbol received by a communications system are provided. The method and apparatus include receiving data, detecting a packet within the received data, producing an estimate of the time-varying frequency offset of the received data, estimating the start of the packet of the received data, estimating the time-varying phase offset of the received data and estimating the time-varying time offset of the received data. Methods for assessing each one of the time-varying frequency offset, the time-varying phase offset, the time-varying time offset and the start of packet are also provided.