Viasat acquisition ready for launch as SpaceX challenge fizzles

Viasat will likely be able to move forward with its acquisition of Inmarsat after the Federal Communications Commission signed off on the deal. The transaction was first agreed upon by California-based Viasat and London-based Inmarsat more than 18 months ago, but has been deferred by review processes in both the U.S. and U.K. The FCC’s investigation was notably prompted by Viasat rival SpaceX after the latter was granted $886 million in broadband funding from the government's Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF). Viasat campaigned against the SpaceX funding with a series of public objections saying the company’s Starlink satellites did not have the capacity and speed to meet FCC requirements. But the FCC issued “unconditional” clearance for Viasat and Inmarsat, and with that blessing the satellite service providers will just have to wait for the European Commission’s (EC) competition review before their union is finalized.