Method for synchronization through accelerated advance of counters

A method for synchronizing counters in a terminal device, such as a cable modem in a DOCSIS-based system, with those of an administrative device, such as a headend. A cable modem advances its frame counter. With each increment of the frame counter, the cable modem's minislot counter advances by an amount equal to the number of minislots per frame. Likewise, with each increment of the frame counter, the cable modem's timestamp counter is incremented by the number of timestamps per frame. This continues until the counters at the cable modem are within one frame of the headend's counters. The minislot counter is then incremented. With each increment of the minislot counter, the timestamp counter is incremented by an amount equal to the number of timestamps per minislot. This continues until the cable modem's counters are within a minislot of the headend's counters. The timestamp counter is then incremented until the cable modem's counters match those of the headend.