Abstract: In a cellular communication system an out-of-lock secondary station scans the physical channels of each of the respective carrier channels in order to find a carrier channel onto which to lock. In order to expedite such scanning, the secondary station follows a scanning sequence such that each scan is of consecutive physical channels of one of a series of non-adjacent carrier channels. Due to spill-over of transmitted beacon signals which may be present in the non-scanned adjoining carrier channels, it is possible during each scan to detect the presence of beacon signals in an adjoining non-scanned carrier channel as well as in the scanned channel. This achieves more rapid identification of an available physical channel in a carrier channel selected by the secondary station, thereby reducing the time to establish lock-on and so saving battery power.