Transmitter architectures designed to accommodate both constant and non-constant of envelope modulation schemes and capable of providing local oscillator carrier frequencies within any one of numerous desired frequency bands, thus allowing compliance with many different communication standards. One example of a programmable frequency synthesizer includes a plurality of transmitter components and a microcontroller coupled to the frequency synthesizer and to the plurality of transmitter components. The microcontroller is adapted to provide a frequency control signal to the frequency synthesizer to control a frequency of the local oscillator carrier frequency. In addition, the microcontroller is also adapted to provide digital control signals to at least some of the plurality of transmitter components to turn on and off different ones of the plurality of transmitter components based on an operating mode of the transmitter, such that the transmitter can accommodate both constant envelope modulation and non-constant envelope modulation schemes.