A method and apparatus determines whether a wireless apparatus (106a) that is operative to communicate over both a wireless wide area network (104) and a wireless local area network (102), will allow shared use of its short range wireless resources, such as LAN radio frequency bandwidth, optical bandwidth or other local area wireless resources, with other proximal wireless units (106b 106n) in the wireless local area network (102). In addition, the method and apparatus generated reward data (116) to provide a reward, such as free telephone calls, account credits, price reductions, or other rewards, so that a billing system is updated when a wireless apparatus (106a 106n) has been designated as allowing shared use of its wireless resources by other proximal wireless units.