An apparatus and method for synchronization in an uplink spatial division multiple access (UL SDMA) mode of a WiMAX wireless communication system includes a first step (500) of allocating a mixed sequence of first and second tile patterns for mobile station uplink slots. A next step (502) includes detecting embedded pilot signals in mobile station data traffic. A next step (504) includes calculating first and second pilot signal phase difference within the respective first and second tile patterns. A next step (506) includes estimating a time error and a frequency error of the pilot signals. A next step (508) includes sending information about the time and/or frequency error to the mobile station for use in synchronization (510).