An access terminal for initiating spot beam selection in a satellite communication system, in which the access terminal includes a receiver for measuring the received signal strength (RSS) of a multiplicity of radio frequency communication spot beam links. The access terminal is further provided with a microcontroller for comparing the received signal strengths from each of the multiplicity of spot beams to initiate information communication via a communication channel of the satellite communication system. In a described embodiment, the controller of the access terminal compares seven spot beam links to determine whether to initiate information communication with one of the seven spot beams received. Additionally, a memory coupled to the controller of the access terminal is used for storing spot beam identification information including the spot beam links assigned to the access terminal via the satellite communication system. The selection procedure employed by the system and method described facilitate a rapid selection of an appropriate spot beam identified from the multiplicity of radio frequency spot beam links received at a mobile access terminal.