A digital audio broadcasting (DAB) communication system with a decoder buffer specified by a maximum number of encoded frames is disclosed. A predicted number of encoded frames, Fpred, in the decoder is sent to a receiver with audio data. If the decoder buffer level becomes too high, additional bits are allocated to each frame for each of N programs. If the decoder buffer level becomes too low, fewer bits are allocated to each frame for each of the N programs. Fpred can also be employed to (i) enable the decoder; and (ii) synchronize the transmitter and the receiver. The receiver fills the decoder buffer with Fpred frames before commencing decoding frames. The transmitter and receiver clocks may be synchronized with a feedback loop that compares the actual level of the decoder buffer to the predicted value, Fpred, received from the transmitter.