Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating synchronization of a mobile station with a radio network in a GSM/EDGE-compatible, cellular communication system. The FCCH is monitored to obtain positional and frequency offset information. Once obtained, the information is used to obtain SCH burst information broadcast upon an SCH. Monitoring of the FCCH continues while the SCH burst information is detected and decoded. If additional FCCH control information is detected that has an associated quality metric value that is better than the quality metric value associated with earlier FCCH, control information, the newly-received information is used to detect the SCH burst information, absent successful decoding of the SCH burst information.