In a cellular system, a new cell measures signal strengths of different channels being used by existing cells. The new cell generates a list of candidate channels corresponding to the channels with the greatest signal strength and transmits the list to the mobile switching center (MSC) of the cellular system. The MSC determines which of the candidate channels correspond to beacons in existing cells and transmits configuration information to the new cell for those corresponding existing cells. In this way, the new cell automatically receives configuration information on its neighbor cells. If the MSC determines that the number of candidate channels that are beacons is too small, the MSC will ask the new cell to transmit additional candidate channels (i.e., those having even lower signal strength).