A communication device establishes a connection in a congested wireless communications network environment by systematically reducing a probability of attempting to connect to a strongest, but overly-congested, cell. A transceiver of the communications device attempts at least one first Random Access Channel (RACH) procedure with a first cell that is currently designated as a serving cell. A RACH controller of the communications device detects a failure to successfully connect to the first cell via the at least one first RACH procedure, autonomously determines, based at least on a probability value, which is greater than 0% and less than 100%, whether to de-prioritize the first cell for a period of time, and, in response to determining to de-prioritize the first cell, reduces a priority value assigned at the UE to the first cell for cell selection/reselection, and assigns a selected time period during which the priority value remains reduced.