Patent ID: 8014771

Claim:
A method of sharing a satellite communication system having a hub including common equipment, comprising: allocating, by the hub, a first portion of the common equipment to a first network operator; allocating, by the hub, a second portion of the common equipment to a second network operator; determining a first user is sending a first message using the common equipment over a first satellite link; determining a second user is sending a second message using the common equipment over a second satellite link; determining, by the hub, to bill a first network operator for the first message sent by the first user using the first portion of the common equipment including a first modem group in a hub modem chassis; determining, by the hub, to bill a second network operator for the second message sent by the second user using the second portion of the common equipment including a second modem group in the hub modem chassis; granting, from a hub network operator to the first network operator, privilege to control the first portion of the common equipment; granting, from the hub network operator to the second network operator, privilege to control the second portion of the common equipment; granting, from a system network provider to the hub network operator, privilege to operate the common equipment; and billing the hub network operator for the operation of the common equipment.