UK Regulatory Authority Gives Green Light to Viasat and Inmarsat Merger, Citing Competition from Starlink IFC

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the UK has approved the merger of Viasat and Inmarsat after a two-phase review. The CMA found that the companies compete closely in the in-flight connectivity (IFC) market, but the deal would not substantially reduce competition for services on flights for UK customers. The investigation cited growing competition from Starlink, along with advances from Intelsat, Panasonic, and OneWeb that will increase competitive pressure in the coming years. Viasat CEO Mark Dankberg called the approval a “critical step” in securing final approvals, while the operator also has a pending investigation by the European Commission.