A modem (for example, a modem within a cellular telephone) includes a plurality of Wireless Communication System Modem Sub-Circuits (WCSMSCs). Each WCSMSC receives a control signal generated by a corresponding one of a plurality of programmable timers. Each timer receives the same sequence of count values from a wall clock counter. A processor that controls overall modem operation can program a timer to generate a control pulse at a particular count time of the wall clock counter. The processor can also program a timer to generate a periodic control signal. The control signals output from the timers orchestrate when the various WCSMSCs start operating in the processing of a frame. By virtue of the programmability of the timers, the wall clock timer system is programmable to generate customized control signals such that frames of new and different protocols having arbitrary frame structures can be processed by the same modem/timer system.