Cover Photo: Ligado Networks.
Ligado Networks and Viasat’s VSAT 0.00%↑ Inmarsat unit have reached a settlement ending a legal battle tied to Ligado’s Chapter 11 exit plan and its proposed lease of L-band spectrum to AST SpaceMobile ASTS 0.00%↑. Under the deal, Inmarsat will drop its objections to the spectrum lease, and AST will pay Inmarsat $535 million in scheduled payments to secure long-term mid-band spectrum access in the U.S. and Canada for direct-to-device services.
AST is now seeking FCC approval to begin commercial operations of its supplemental coverage from space (SCS) service, using AT&T T 0.00%↑ and Verizon’s VZ 0.00%↑700 MHz and 800 MHz spectrum, and has requested launch authorization by Aug. 1. Company officials say the Inmarsat settlement clears a major hurdle for AST’s planned launch of more than 60 satellites by the end of 2026.
Meanwhile, Ligado continues to pursue a separate $40 billion lawsuit against the U.S. government over claims that federal GPS operations interfered with its licensed L-band spectrum, a fight that remains unresolved. The gist of Ligado’s argument is that it claims that there was a campaign of misinformation about its proposed 5G network—which the company says was blocked because of U.S. Defense Department use of the spectrum.
According to an article in Space News, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit agreed to allow the government to challenge a ruling that somewhat rejected its bid to dismiss Ligado’s lawsuit.
