Physical layer structures and related access schemes for unsynchronized communication networks are provided. Access channel information, preferably including a common synchronization code associated with all 
transceiver stations in a communication network and a 
cell-specific synchronization code uniquely associated with one of the 
transceiver stations, is modulated onto at least one set of time-
continuous signal components of a communication 
signal. In order to access the communication network, communication terminals search for the access channel information in one or more sets of time-
continuous signal components and synchronization parameters are then determined based on a location of the access channel information in the sets of time-
continuous signal components. Some embodiments of the invention provide for joint 
frame synchronization and coarse timing synchronization. In further embodiments, the communication 
signal also includes a scattered 
pilot channel onto which a portion of the access channel information, preferably the 
cell-specific synchronization code, is modulated. The 
pilot channels may then be re-used for initial access operations in addition to its conventional uses for such operations as channel 
estimation.