After the whopping $6.2 billion acquisition by Inmarsat, Viasat is readying for a major reorganization, with a planned 10% workforce reduction. The move, affecting approximately 800 roles, aims for a substantial year-on-year cost-saving starting from 2025. Despite the promising financial outlook, the firm accepts the substantial costs linked with these transitions, yet considers them a vital investment for the future.
The European Commission clears Inmarsat’s acquisition by Viasat, assuring competition in the in-flight broadband landscape. While the market anticipates increased opportunities for current players and new entrants, upcoming deals like SES/Intelsat and Eutelsat/OneWeb may pose complex challenges for regulators.
Viasat’s acquisition of Inmarsat advances as the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority grants unconditional approval, easing market competition concerns for in-flight Wi-Fi services amidst a rapidly evolving satellite communications sector.
Inmarsat collaborates with Hyundai-owned Supernal to connect electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to its Velaris comms service, addressing beyond visual line of sight challenges, spurring competition with terrestrial network operators like Nokia.
Inmarsat, a major supplier of international mobile satellite communications services, and Viasat, a worldwide communications company, have announced that the Australian Government’s Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) has stated that it has no concerns about the intended merger of the two companies. The proposed deal has already received numerous important regulatory approvals, most notably from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and from the UK Government under the National Security and Investment Act. The most recent permission for the deal is the FIRB’s clearance of Viasat’s proposed acquisition of Inmarsat under the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act of 1975. Australia is a large market where the two businesses have substantial consumer and commercial ties. Inmarsat and Viasat announced that they will merge their two businesses to become a new global communications powerhouse in November 2021. The transaction is expected to be completed in the second…
CMA probes ViaSat acquisition of Inmarsat The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) of the UK has said that it is starting its own investigation into ViaSat’s acquisition of Inmarsat. The two operators had initially expressed their expectations that the transaction would conclude in the middle of 2022, with input from different regulatory organizations. By October 5, the CMA is anticipated to decide if a thorough probe into this transaction is necessary. The merged corporation will initially operate a fleet of 19 satellites in various orbits and spectrum regions, with ten more in the works. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/y8zcwwtz FCC stops subsidies for SpaceX Starlink The FCC has refused to approve the Starlink proposal, stating that it was uncertain if the technology could reach the advertised speeds in its current state. The regulator highlighted that Ookla’s most recent projections indicated a reduction in the speeds Starlink may offer in 2022. According…
Verizon gets approval for TracFone purchase Verizon stated in September 2020 that it will attempt to acquire TracFone Wireless, a pre-paid mobile phone operator, for $6.25 billion. The FCC approved the transaction last week, attaching restrictions that would safeguard TracFone customers in a variety of ways, including ensuring inexpensive 5G handsets and avoiding price rises, all of which will be evaluated on a regular basis by an independent agency. Verizon is also required to participate in the Lifeline program, which provides subsidies to low-income subscribers. TracFone is now one of the major carriers supporting the Lifeline program, with 1.7 million low-income subscribers participating across the country. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/jxrh6p5v Tata Communications launches GlobalRapide Tata Communications, a worldwide digital ecosystem facilitator, has announced Tata Communications GlobalRapide, an end-to-end managed UCaaS that enables organizations to provide workers with technologically enhanced, sophisticated and intelligent collaboration experiences. With this new solution, Tata Communications…
Viasat, a worldwide communications company, and Inmarsat, a major UK-based supplier of global mobile satellite communications services, have announced the signing of a formal agreement under which Viasat will buy Inmarsat for $7.3 billion. The merger will establish a global communications leader with increased size and breadth to link the globe more economically, safely and securely. The new organization’s complementary assets and resources will allow the launch of innovative new services in both the mobile and fixed segments, giving customers more options in broadband communications and narrowband services, such as IoT. The merged business intends to combine both companies’ spectrum, satellite and terrestrial assets into a worldwide high-capacity hybrid space and terrestrial network able to offer exceptional service in the rapidly developing commercial and government sectors. Together, these businesses will establish a formidable multi-spectrum, multi-orbit powerhouse. With production and people capacity around the world, the new company…
