Methods and apparatus for system selection in a multimode wireless device are disclosed. The method and apparatus afford selection of a wireless communication system access technology from a number of wireless system access technologies supported by a wireless device. Selection is accomplished by storing identification information concerning access technologies pertaining to a first group of wireless system access technologies, such as 3GPP2, in a search database, which concerns the priority of access technologies pertaining to another group of access technologies, such as 3GPP. Selection of a preferred wireless communication system access technology from one of the wireless access technology groups is then based on the identification information stored in the search database.