The present invention includes a radio access network and a method for sending a multimedia broadcasts/multicast services (MBMS) using channel switching. The channel switching is between dedicated and shared/common channels. The invention also includes MBMS reception scheduling for use when a wireless transmit/receive device receives an MBMS service from multiple transmission sources. The sources transmitting the MBMS service data in differing orders. One embodiment uses in band segmentation information and another embodiment uses out of band synchronization information.