A method for selecting a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment using a geographic database

A communication device locates a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment by tuning to a first frequency band and receiving a geographic identifier from the service provider operating in the first frequency band. The received geographic identifier is compared to a listing of stored geographic identifiers in order to attempt to locate a matching stored geographic identifier. Each of the stored geographic identifiers are associated with a desirable frequency band having a desirable service provider. If comparing the received geographic identifier with the matching stored geographic identifiers does not produce a match, frequency bands are examined until a second frequency band having a desirable service provider is located. The listing of stored geographic identifiers is then updated so that the second frequency band is associated with the received geographic identifier.