A method of supporting communications with multiple communication systems in a wireless device, where at least two of the multiple communication systems operate with different communication standards, the method being characterized by: determining a priority of each active communication link in the multiple communication systems based in part on a predetermined hierarchy; configuring a transceiver in the wireless device to time multiplex communications with each active communication link in the multiple communication systems, where the timing of the time multiplex communications with each active communication link is based on the priority of each active communication link; wherein configuring the transceiver comprises: configuring a wireless transceiver for a Time Domain Multiple Access (TDMA) communication system; and configuring the wireless transceiver for a first packet data communication system during at least one idle time slot of the TDMA communication system; wherein a time reference for the TDMA communication system comprises a reference independent of a time reference for the packet data communication system; configuring a second wireless transceiver to support a GSM communication link, wherein configuring a receiver portion of the second wireless transceiver for a GSM receive period occurring in an assigned GSM time slot; and configuring the receiver portion for a monitor period occurring in a GSM time slot immediately following the GSM receive period. determining a priority of each active communication link in the multiple communication systems based in part on a predetermined hierarchy; configuring a transceiver in the wireless device to time multiplex communications with each active communication link in the multiple communication systems, where the timing of the time multiplex communications with each active communication link is based on the priority of each active communication link; wherein configuring the transceiver comprises: configuring a wireless transceiver for a Time Domain Multiple Access (TDMA) communication system; and configuring the wireless transceiver for a first packet data communication system during at least one idle time slot of the TDMA communication system; wherein a time reference for the TDMA communication system comprises a reference independent of a time reference for the packet data communication system; configuring a second wireless transceiver to support a GSM communication link, wherein configuring a receiver portion of the second wireless transceiver for a GSM receive period occurring in an assigned GSM time slot; and configuring the receiver portion for a monitor period occurring in a GSM time slot immediately following the GSM receive period. configuring a wireless transceiver for a Time Domain Multiple Access (TDMA) communication system; and configuring the wireless transceiver for a first packet data communication system during at least one idle time slot of the TDMA communication system; wherein a time reference for the TDMA communication system comprises a reference independent of a time reference for the packet data communication system; configuring a second wireless transceiver to support a GSM communication link, wherein configuring a receiver portion of the second wireless transceiver for a GSM receive period occurring in an assigned GSM time slot; and configuring the receiver portion for a monitor period occurring in a GSM time slot immediately following the GSM receive period.