Method and apparatus for handset spectrum range registration

A method for handset spectrum registration in cordless telephone systems having base stations operating in a first spectrum (102) and a second spectrum (101) where the first and second spectrums have a portion (103) of overlapping spectrum ranges comprises the steps at a handset (206) of scanning (18) the portion of overlapping spectrum ranges provided by a base station which is either a first base station having the first spectrum range or a second base station having the second spectrum and then choosing (20) a channel within the overlapping spectrum ranges substantially free from interference and designating the channel as the initial link establishment channel and as a re-establishment channel for subsequent re-establishment links. The handset then sends (22) a re-establishment link request to the base station to have the base re-establish a link with the re-establishment channel on the handset. Then, the handset determines (24) if the re-establishment channel was for a base station operating in the first spectrum range or a base station operating in the second spectrum range by measuring the amount of time it takes to achieve the re-establishment.