A memory controller for a wireless communication system comprises a packet buffer write system and a packet buffer read system. The packet buffer write system places packets including packet header and packet data into a packet buffer. The packet buffer read system removes packets including a packet header and packet data from a packet buffer. The packet buffer is arranged into a plurality of packet buffer memory slots, each slot comprising a descriptor status array location including an availability bit set to "used" or "free", and a packet buffer memory location comprising a descriptor memory slot and a data segment memory slot. The descriptor memory slot includes header information for each packet, and the data segment memory slot includes packet data. The memory controller operates on one or more queues of data, and data is placed into a particular queue in packet memory determined by priority information derived from incoming packet header or packet data. Data is removed from packet memory based on which queue the data may be found in. The queues are based on a priority system, where one queue receives priority over another queue for data reception and transmission.