Abstract: In a communications system wherein a sequence of data packets is produced by a packet source and are transmitted as a data stream with a variable jitter, a method for synchronizing a receiving device relative to the sequence of data packets includes providing first and second data packets in the sequence at respective first and second input times. The first data packet is transmitted, and a measure of the jitter associated with the transmission of the first data packet is determined and written into the second data packet. After the second data packet is transmitted, the receiving device, having received the first and second data packets, uses the measure of the jitter in the second data packet to synchronize to the first input time.