MULTI-SERVICE PROVIDER AUTHENTICATION

摘要

Network access providers implement interactive procedures and subscriber terminals employ embedded secure authentication structures and procedures to ensure that a satellite modem at the subscriber terminal accurately verifies the identity of a satellite modem terminal system at the location of the network access provider gateway facility during the satellite modem initialization process so that the satellite modem will only attempt to acquire satellite resource from the appropriate (authenticated and authorized) satellite modem termination system. In a virtual downstream channel environment, diverse downstream channel feeds are distinguished by authentication procedures. The present invention differs from standard theft of service prevention because theft of subscriber prevention is in a virtual channel environment, where subscriber terminals have access to a plurality of virtual channels by the nature of the signal.