A method of synchronizing symbol timing in a digital device includes the steps of receiving complex data samples of one or more symbols, correlating the data samples with a complex conjugate of a preamble data set, selecting between real and imaginary samples and generating a complex number based on the result. The method then determines an angle in a complex plane that represents symbol synchronization for the digital device. Disclosed embodiments include applications to communications devices, and to carrier recovery in such devices. In such embodiments the resultant angle may represent a carrier phase offset for the device.