In one illustrative example, a system acquisition method suitable for use in W-CDMA utilizes a receiver having an automatic frequency control (AFC) circuit. A system acquisition scan is performed over a plurality of candidate frequencies in an RF band. During the system acquisition scan, a pilot signal of a system on one of the candidate frequencies is detected. When information of the system is successfully decoded, and the system is different from a requested system (e.g. not the RPLMN or HPLMN), the pilot signal of the system is assigned as a timing reference in the receiver for one or more remaining candidate frequencies of the system acquisition scan. Therefore, an AFC window time otherwise needed to converge on a remaining candidate frequency is not needed or reduced.