Systems and methods of communicating between satellite and terrestrial networks

1. A method of supporting a communication session comprising the acts of:

authenticating a first endpoint with a terrestrial wireless communication network, wherein the first endpoint is in wireless communication with a satellite communication network;

determining a quality of service for communications exchanged between the first endpoint and a second endpoint supported by the terrestrial communication network;

exchanging communications, in accordance with the determined quality of service, between the first and second endpoints, wherein the exchange of communications comprises queuing and scheduling the exchanged communications based on the determined quality of service;

receiving service performance feedback from the first endpoint; and

adjusting the queuing and scheduling based on the received service performance feedback to conform with the determined quality of service.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the quality of service is based on a service profile, the method further comprising the act of:

obtaining, by a component of the satellite communication network, the service profile.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the service profile is associated with the first endpoint.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein communications are provided to the first endpoint using Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) cells.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the communications are provided to the second endpoint in Internet Protocol (IP) packets.

6. A system of supporting a communication session comprising:

a satellite communication network;

a terrestrial-based wireless communication network;

a satellite processor coupled to the satellite communication network; and

a base station coupled to the satellite processor and the terrestrial-based wireless communication network,

wherein the base station includes an authentication module that authenticates a first endpoint with a terrestrial wireless communication network, wherein the first endpoint is in wireless communication with a satellite communication network,

wherein the satellite processor includes a session control module that determines a quality of service for communications exchanged between the first endpoint and a second endpoint supported by the terrestrial communication network and controls communications exchanged between the first and second endpoints in accordance with the determined quality of service,

wherein the satellite processor includes a queuing and scheduling module that queues and schedules the exchanged communications based on the determined quality of service, and

wherein the session control module receives service performance feedback from the first endpoint, and sends a message to the queuing and scheduling module to adjust the queuing and scheduling based on the received service performance feedback to conform with the determined quality of service.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the satellite processor includes a buffering and delay correction module that buffers and performs delay correction based on the determined quality of service.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the session control module receives service performance feedback from the first endpoint, and sends a message to the buffering and delay correction module to adjust the buffering and delay correction based on the received service performance feedback to conform with the determined quality of service.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the quality of service is based on a service profile that is obtained by the session control module.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the service profile is associated with the first endpoint.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein communications are provided to the first endpoint using Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) cells.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the communications are provided to the second endpoint in Internet Protocol (IP) packets.

13. A method of supporting a communication session comprising the acts of:

authenticating a first endpoint with a terrestrial wireless communication network, wherein the first endpoint is in wireless communication with a satellite communication network;

determining a quality of service for communications exchanged between the first endpoint and a second endpoint supported by the terrestrial communication network;

exchanging communications, in accordance with the determined quality of service, between the first and second endpoints, wherein the exchange of communications comprises buffering and delay correction based on the determined quality of service;

receiving service performance feedback from the first endpoint; and

adjusting the buffering and delay correction based on the received service performance feedback to conform with the determined quality of service.