Embodiments are described herein for selective joinder, by a user equipment (“UE”), to a wireless cell of a plurality of wireless cells. In various embodiments, this may include transitioning, by the UE, from an idle mode to a connected mode, and contemporaneously with the transition of the UE from the idle mode to the connected mode, measuring, by the UE, signals of a first plurality of cells. In various embodiments, the UE may identify, from within the first plurality of cells, a second plurality of cells having measured signals that satisfy a channel condition criterion and frequency priorities that satisfy a priority criterion. In various embodiments, the UE may be configured to select and join a cell of the second plurality of cells, randomly or based on respective loads of the second plurality of cells.