the system and method of the present invention establishes a communication link between a user equipment and a base station in a communication system having a plurality of base stations which each transmit a common primary synchronization code in a primary synchronization channel in conjunction with a base station specific secondary synchronization code within a system frame , which receives with the ue an input signal including the psc and ssc from at least one of the base stations . the ue analyzes the input signal to detect any received pscs within a selected time period which has duration corresponding to the length of a system frame and determining a relative location of a strongest psc within the selected time period . the input signal is then processed to remove the psc from at least the determined psc location . a secondary synchronization code is then detected for the determined location from the processed signal . the communication link is then established using the detected sscs .