According to a report carried by the Financial Times the two companies are valued at more $3 billion and a float would provide significant returns to British Telecommunications and US-based Comsat Corp.

BT has a 22 percent stake in Eutelsat and an eight percent stake in Inmarsat. Comsat holds a 23 percent stake in Inmarsat.

Management of two companies cite the need to raise additional funds for further expansion of satellite coverage by raise maximum borrowing limits and bringing in other shareholders from the private sector who could provide much needed alliances.

Eutelsat plans to launch five satellites this year at a cost of $750 million and doubling its capacity.

Geoff King, chairman of the Inmarsat shareholder council, said commercial satellite operators are taking a widening share of the market which until now was entirely dominated by cooperative groups such as Inmarsat, Eutelsat and Intelsat. "These organizations were designed in another age, and are too slow and bureaucratic to compete with private enterprise," he said.

Inmarsat Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
Space

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS Solar Energy Solutions Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ... Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News

SPACEDAILY

Satellite Launch To Boost DTH In India
Calcutta, India (SPX) Dec 28, 2005
The successful launch Thursday of India's heaviest satellite from spaceport of Kourou in French Guyana may have boosted the country's space research efforts to yet another level, but it has also lifted the spirits of at least three Direct-To-Home televisions broadcasters, one of which has been waiting for years to launch its services in India.