The present method (300) for allocating bandwidth in a satellite communication system (500) includes determining (304) an uplink assignment of uplinks (512) to user terminals (506) and a gateway (504). The uplink assignment is preferably based on input parameters including a gateway uplink efficiency, a user terminal uplink efficiency, and a traffic ratio between the user terminal and the gateway. The method (300) also determines a downlink assignment of downlinks (516) to the user terminals (506) and one or more gateways (504). The downlink assignment is preferably based on traffic offered to the user terminals (506) and the gateways (504) as dictated by the uplink assignment. Either of the uplink assignment and downlink assignment may be integer or non-integer assignments. The present satellite communication system bandwidth controller (700) includes assignment circuitry (704) and communication circuitry (706). The assignment circuitry (704) is operable to determine an uplink assignment of uplinks to user terminals and one or more gateways, based the input parameters. The assignment circuitry (704) is operable to determine a downlink assignment of downlinks (516) to the user terminals (506) and the gateways (504), based on traffic offered to the user terminals (506) and the gateway (504) according to the uplink assignment.
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