EU to Approve SES Acquisition of Intelsat, Sources Say

WASHINGTON, June 5, 2025 – SES, led by CEO Adel Al-Saleh, will get European Union approval to acquire rival Intelsat, a major step in its quest to effectively compete with broadcast alternatives, according to a published report.

According to reporting by Reuters, “SES is set to win unconditional EU antitrust approval for its $3.1-billion bid for rival Intelsat, people familiar with the matter said.”

Currently, SES has around 70 satellites in either Medium-Earth or Geostationary Orbit. If the $3.1 billion acquisition were to go through, SES would have more than 100 satellites in Geostationary Orbit and 26 satellites in Medium-Earth orbit.

The acquisition of Intelsat by SES has raised alarms across the broadcast industry. Both The National Association of Broadcasters and NCTA – The Internet & Television Association The Internet and Television Association filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission expressing concern over the merger, with NAB urging “the Commission to consider the implications of one entity controlling virtually all C-band spectrum.”

SES and Intelsat have argued that merging would allow them to compete with services such as internet-based streaming. The EU is set to officially rule on the deal by June 10. Even if the EU rules in favor of the SES transaction, the satellite internet provider will still need approval from the FCC.

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