A method for conducting communications via a satellite includes providing a hub-spoke spot beam group. The hub-spoke spot beam group includes at least one fixed location spot beam illuminating a location containing a gateway terminal and at least one fixed location spot beam illuminating a location containing at least one user terminal. The satellite comprises a pathway associated with the hub-spoke spot beam group. At least one receive-side switch is sequentially switched to connect an input of the pathway with different spot beams within the hub-spoke spot beam group. At least one transmit-side switch is sequentially switched to connect an output of the pathway with different spot beams within the hub-spoke spot beam group. Beam switching patterns support both forward and return traffic within a frame.