Carlsbad, Calif.-based Viasat, which provides high-speed, satellite-based broadband services and secure networking, said it will acquire Inmarsat for $7.3 billion.
Inmarsat has roots in the marine industry, particularly with monitoring systems providers such as GOST, which utilize the company’s geostationary satellites. The company reported $1.5 billion in revenue in 2018.
In the last year, Inmarsat released Orchestra and Elera. Orchestra combines GEO satellites, low Earth orbit satellites and terrestrial 5G that reportedly provides worldwide connectivity to yachts. Elera, a component of Orchestra, is an L-band service for mobility customers, including boaters, offering better bandwidth, smaller terminals and lower costs.
“This is a transformative combination that advances our common ambitions to connect the world,” Viasat executive chairman Mark Dankberg said in a statement. “Together, we can advance broadband communications and create new hybrid space and terrestrial networks that drive greater performance, coverage, speed, reliability and value for customers.”
