Advanced Television

Ligado

Ligado decision imminent

The Delaware bankruptcy court will rule today [September 22nd] on the transfer of spectrum from Ligado Networks and related businesses to AST SpaceMobile. The ruling is not unexpected because the deal was agreed in June. The hearing, before Judge Thomas Horan, will sign-off the pre-agreed resolution which sees AST pay $550 million (of which $535 […]

September 22, 2025By Chris Forrester

Ligado, AST SpaceMobile deal approved by judge

A Delaware bankruptcy court on June 23rd approved the long-term acquisition by AST SpaceMobile (AST) of Ligado’s L-band spectrum over North America. The judge, Thomas Horan, was brief in saying: “I am going to grant the motion today. The motion is granted”. The motion in question was that AST would pay $568 million (€490m) to […]

June 24, 2025By Chris Forrester

AST SpaceMobile confirms Ligado payment

AST SpaceMobile will pay around $550 million (€474.9m) to Ligado for its L-band spectrum over North America. The news was confirmed late on June 13th. The payment will allow Ligado itself to pay the $535 million it owes to Viasat/Inmarsat. The Viasat payment will then see the end of its objections it has over Ligado’s Chapter […]

June 16, 2025

AST SpaceMobile’s Ligado deal gets close

AST SpaceMobile’s ambition to acquire Ligado’s space bandwidth over the US is close to finalising. A statement from Ligado said: “We have reached an agreement in principle with all of the parties, so with Inmarsat, with AST, and with our two ad-hoc creditor groups…” The final judicial hearing will be on May 29th (if uncontested) […]

May 27, 2025By Chris Forrester

Ligado details bankruptcy exit plan

Ligado Networks entered Chapter 11 in January. It has now presented its exit plan to the Delaware Bankruptcy Court. A key portion of the exit scheme is an agreement with AST SpaceMobile for 40 MHz of Ligado’s L-band spectrum, which will enhance AST’s available spectrum over the US and Canada. The actual exit will take […]

March 25, 2025

Ligado attempts to unravel Inmarsat L-band agreement

Ligado Networks is in Chapter 11 restructuring, and is fighting to block attempts from Inmarsat and Viasat to halt its financial rescue and refinancing. Inmarsat, now part of Viasat, is looking to recover its former L-band frequencies and capacity from the restructuring. Inmarsat had previously leased the L-band spectrum to Ligado in 2007 for a […]

February 6, 2025

Ligado sues Inmarsat

On January 6th Ligado Networks entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy reconstruction. January 7th opened a legal action against London-based Inmarsat over a 2007 spectrum and capacity leasing agreement. Inmarsat, now owned by California-based Viasat, allegedly owes Ligado $1.7 billion (€1.65bn) in payment under the agreement says the action. Ligado is arguing that the UK-based satellite telecommunications […]

January 8, 2025By Chris Forrester

AST SpaceMobile helps bankrupt Ligado

Ligado Networks filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on January 6th. Ligado holds some extremely valuable ‘L-band’ spectrum over North America but is in the middle of a bitter dispute with the US government and has accused the US government of improperly blocking it from commercialising licensed spectrum through what it called one of the […]

January 7, 2025By Chris Forrester

Ligado can sue US Government for $39bn

Ligado Networks can proceed with their claim for $39 billion (€36.9bn) in damages and compensation from the US government for what it claims – in essence – is the theft of its L-band spectrum. A US federal judge on November 18th rejected some of Ligado’s minor arguments but has allowed the major portion of the […]

November 20, 2024

Ligado close to bankruptcy

Ligado Networks is in trouble. It is suing various US government Agencies for $40 billion (€37.1bn) of compensation and claiming that the Agencies “roadblocked” Legado’s FCC-licensed L-band frequencies and spectrum because the US government wanted the spectrum itself. The L-band spectrum was granted to Ligado by the FCC in 2020 with permission to roll out […]

March 28, 2024By Chris Forrester