A method is provided for configuring a subscriber unit for operation in a wireless communications system. Information on available wireless services is advertised through well known, and publicly accessible, broadcast media, for the benefit of potential subscribers. A potential subscriber uses a subscriber unit to access the broadcast media and obtain a set of available wireless services (310). The subscriber unit supplies a particular criteria related to one or more of the available wireless services to a brokering agent, and receives from the brokering agent a list of service providers meeting the criteria (320, 330, 340). The subscriber unit then establishes a subscription relationship with a selected service provider, and self-configures to operate in a mode that supports interaction with the service provider (350).