A satellite communication system leverages the carrier offset detection capability of the demodulator contained in an on-board modem of M&C channel. The modem detects the frequency error Δf, introduced in the signal path from the output of the base station at ground to the output of baseband conversion on the satellite, by analyzing the baseband signal at the baseband conversion to estimate the received carrier f′c and subtracting it the from the expected frequency (fc).