Single-oscillator radio and IP communication device and oscillator control method

The invention relates to the field of radio communication devices and, more specifically, gateways connected to (i) a cellular radio communication network via a packet data communication network, such as an IP network, and (ii) cellular mobile communication terminals. The invention uses the same oscillator to provide both the reference clock of the radio sub-system and the reference clock of the general processor of the device. The fact that the same oscillator is used for these two components also allows embodiments in which some of the functions that have hitherto been conferred to a hardware control component, itself operating with the aid of a clock derived from the radio oscillator and being involved in the control of said oscillator, can now be conferred to a software component that is executed on the general processor of the gateway.