A wireless location system is configured to operate in a CDMA-based wireless communication network. In exemplary embodiments, location measuring units (LMUs) can synchronize to sectors of base stations and store sector timing information. In response to a request to geo-locate a mobile device communicating with a sector, sector timing information for the servicing sector is sent to other LMUs and the LMUs can use the sector timing information to detect uplink signals transmitted by the mobile device. The location of the mobile device can then be estimated based on time of arrival measurements made by the LMUs.