The presentation invention relates to methods and apparatus for coordinating the buffering and transmission of data between a Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) and a wireless base station. An exemplary method in accordance with one embodiment includes the steps of: receiving a buffer management mode message at a CMTS from a wireless base station; switching, by the CMTS, from operating in a first mode of operation to operating in a second mode of operation with respect to buffering and communicating downlink data to the wireless base station; and while operating in the second mode of operation: (i) creating a plurality of CMTS downlink data buffers, each of the plurality of CMTS downlink data buffers corresponding to a different user equipment device to which the wireless base station is actively providing services; and (ii) storing a received downlink data packet in one of the plurality of CMTS downlink data buffers.