A method of communication at an access node of a communication system comprising a plurality of access nodes at geographically distributed locations providing a communication service to user terminals distributed over multiple forward user beam coverage areas via an end-to-end relay (503, 1202, 1502, 3403) comprising multiple forward receive/transmit signal paths, the method comprising: obtaining an access node-specific forward signal for transmission via the end-to-end relay to a plurality of the user terminals grouped by the multiple forward user beam coverage areas, the access node-specific forward signal comprising a composite of forward beam signals corresponding to a plurality of the multiple forward user beam coverage areas, the forward beam signals weighted by respective beam weights of a beam weight vector associated with the access node, wherein the beam weights account for wireless signal uplink paths up to the end-to-end relay, the multiple forward receive/transmit signal paths through the end-to-end relay, and wireless signal downlink paths down from the end-to-end relay; identifying forward signal transmit timing information indicating transmission timing for the access node-specific forward signal; transmitting a forward uplink signal comprising the access node-specific forward signal and an access node beacon signal to the end-to-end relay, the access node-specific forward signal having the forward signal transmit timing information synchronized to corresponding transmit timing information in the access node beacon signal, the forward uplink signal being configured to superpose with at least one other forward uplink signal from at least one other respective access node of the plurality of access nodes to create composite input forward signals; receiving signaling from the end-to-end relay comprising a relay beacon signal and the access node beacon signal relayed from the end-to-end relay; and adjusting the forward uplink signal to time and phase align the relayed access node beacon signal with the received relay beacon signal. obtaining an access node-specific forward signal for transmission via the end-to-end relay to a plurality of the user terminals grouped by the multiple forward user beam coverage areas, the access node-specific forward signal comprising a composite of forward beam signals corresponding to a plurality of the multiple forward user beam coverage areas, the forward beam signals weighted by respective beam weights of a beam weight vector associated with the access node, wherein the beam weights account for wireless signal uplink paths up to the end-to-end relay, the multiple forward receive/transmit signal paths through the end-to-end relay, and wireless signal downlink paths down from the end-to-end relay; identifying forward signal transmit timing information indicating transmission timing for the access node-specific forward signal; transmitting a forward uplink signal comprising the access node-specific forward signal and an access node beacon signal to the end-to-end relay, the access node-specific forward signal having the forward signal transmit timing information synchronized to corresponding transmit timing information in the access node beacon signal, the forward uplink signal being configured to superpose with at least one other forward uplink signal from at least one other respective access node of the plurality of access nodes to create composite input forward signals; receiving signaling from the end-to-end relay comprising a relay beacon signal and the access node beacon signal relayed from the end-to-end relay; and adjusting the forward uplink signal to time and phase align the relayed access node beacon signal with the received relay beacon signal.