A method for automatically selecting, by a terminal, an optimum frequency band in terms of rate from a set of frequency bands selectable by the terminal to establish a communication with a base station, the set of frequency bands belonging to a known maximum set of frequency bands, the terminal is connected to an outer smart antenna system including at least one antenna, an attenuation module and a system card, and in that the method includes, after the terminal has received at least one message from the base station including a plurality of rules and parameters to be applied by the terminal in order to select a frequency band from the set of frequency bands, the following steps of: - Selecting by the terminal an initial frequency band from the set of frequency bands by applying the plurality of rules and parameters; - Measuring an initial upstream rate and an initial downstream rate by the system card via the terminal on the initial frequency band; - Selecting the initial upstream rate as the reference upstream rate and the initial downstream rate as the reference downstream rate; - Applying by the attenuation module at least one sequence of combinations of attenuations (1051_1, 1051_2, 1051_3) to the antenna, each combination of attenuations (1051_1, 1051_2, 1051 _3) including at least one attenuation of the gain of the antenna over a given frequency band of the maximum set of frequency bands: o For each combination of attenuations (1051_1, 1051_2, 1051_3) applied, measuring an upstream rate (D1, D2, D3) by the system card via the terminal (300, 105): • If the upstream rate (D1, D2, D3) measured is strictly greater than an upstream rate threshold depending on the reference upstream rate, selecting the upstream rate (D1, D2, D3) measured as the reference upstream rate; - If the reference upstream rate is greater than the initial upstream rate, applying to the antenna the combination of attenuations (1051_1, 1051_2, 1051_3) corresponding to the reference upstream rate by the attenuation module (201, 109): o Measuring a downstream rate by the system card via the terminal (300, 110): • If the downstream rate measured is greater than or equal to a downstream rate threshold depending on the reference downstream rate, the combination of attenuations (1051_1, 1051_2, 1051_3) applied corresponds to the optimum frequency band in terms of rate. - Selecting by the terminal an initial frequency band from the set of frequency bands by applying the plurality of rules and parameters; - Measuring an initial upstream rate and an initial downstream rate by the system card via the terminal on the initial frequency band; - Selecting the initial upstream rate as the reference upstream rate and the initial downstream rate as the reference downstream rate; - Applying by the attenuation module at least one sequence of combinations of attenuations (1051_1, 1051_2, 1051_3) to the antenna, each combination of attenuations (1051_1, 1051_2, 1051 _3) including at least one attenuation of the gain of the antenna over a given frequency band of the maximum set of frequency bands: o For each combination of attenuations (1051_1, 1051_2, 1051_3) applied, measuring an upstream rate (D1, D2, D3) by the system card via the terminal (300, 105): • If the upstream rate (D1, D2, D3) measured is strictly greater than an upstream rate threshold depending on the reference upstream rate, selecting the upstream rate (D1, D2, D3) measured as the reference upstream rate; o For each combination of attenuations (1051_1, 1051_2, 1051_3) applied, measuring an upstream rate (D1, D2, D3) by the system card via the terminal (300, 105): • If the upstream rate (D1, D2, D3) measured is strictly greater than an upstream rate threshold depending on the reference upstream rate, selecting the upstream rate (D1, D2, D3) measured as the reference upstream rate; • If the upstream rate (D1, D2, D3) measured is strictly greater than an upstream rate threshold depending on the reference upstream rate, selecting the upstream rate (D1, D2, D3) measured as the reference upstream rate; - If the reference upstream rate is greater than the initial upstream rate, applying to the antenna the combination of attenuations (1051_1, 1051_2, 1051_3) corresponding to the reference upstream rate by the attenuation module (201, 109): o Measuring a downstream rate by the system card via the terminal (300, 110): • If the downstream rate measured is greater than or equal to a downstream rate threshold depending on the reference downstream rate, the combination of attenuations (1051_1, 1051_2, 1051_3) applied corresponds to the optimum frequency band in terms of rate. o Measuring a downstream rate by the system card via the terminal (300, 110): • If the downstream rate measured is greater than or equal to a downstream rate threshold depending on the reference downstream rate, the combination of attenuations (1051_1, 1051_2, 1051_3) applied corresponds to the optimum frequency band in terms of rate. • If the downstream rate measured is greater than or equal to a downstream rate threshold depending on the reference downstream rate, the combination of attenuations (1051_1, 1051_2, 1051_3) applied corresponds to the optimum frequency band in terms of rate.