A method for enabling a newly installed network end device to establish a link to an existing advanced metering system frequency hopping network comprising a plurality of cells each having a plurality of endpoints (EP2-EP5, EP7), said endpoints (EP2-EP5, EP7) being configured to transmit and receive metering information, said method comprising: establishing a network including a central facility and a plurality of network end devices, at least some of which network end devices comprise metrology devices (142, 144, 146, 148-152, 156, 158) collecting metering information; configuring the network for bi-directional communications between the central facility and each of the plurality of network end devices; causing a newly installed network end device to attempt to establish a link by transmitting a plurality of discovery beacons on successive hopping channels, beginning with a randomly selected hopping channel, each discovery beacon including information as to a specific listening channel on which the newly installed network end device will listen during a listening window; configuring selected of the plurality of network end devices to transmit a response to a received discovery beacon; placing the newly installed network end device in a listen mode during a listening window on the listening channel specified in the transmitted discovery beacon; and configuring the newly installed network end device to collect and store information transmitted from one or more of the plurality of network end devices in response to the discovery beacon; characterized in that the method further comprises configuring the newly installed network end device to synchronize with said network based on a cell of said network having the lowest number of endpoints (EP2-EP5, EP7). establishing a network including a central facility and a plurality of network end devices, at least some of which network end devices comprise metrology devices (142, 144, 146, 148-152, 156, 158) collecting metering information; configuring the network for bi-directional communications between the central facility and each of the plurality of network end devices; causing a newly installed network end device to attempt to establish a link by transmitting a plurality of discovery beacons on successive hopping channels, beginning with a randomly selected hopping channel, each discovery beacon including information as to a specific listening channel on which the newly installed network end device will listen during a listening window; configuring selected of the plurality of network end devices to transmit a response to a received discovery beacon; placing the newly installed network end device in a listen mode during a listening window on the listening channel specified in the transmitted discovery beacon; and configuring the newly installed network end device to collect and store information transmitted from one or more of the plurality of network end devices in response to the discovery beacon; characterized in that the method further comprises configuring the newly installed network end device to synchronize with said network based on a cell of said network having the lowest number of endpoints (EP2-EP5, EP7). <EOS>