A distributed Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) includes a head end, a downstream transmitter hub, and a plurality of cable modems that all establish frequency lock with a common frequency reference. The head end transmits a plurality of time stamps from the head end to the plurality of cable modems via a packet data network, the downstream transmitter hub, and cable modem network plant. Each of the plurality of cable modems performs smoothing operations on the plurality of time stamps to establish phase lock with the head end. The downstream transmitter and the plurality of cable modems perform ranging operations to establish phase lock among the plurality of cable modems. In an alternate operation, the frequency reference includes marker sequences that the devices of the distributed CMTS use to establish phase lock.