UK watchdog to examine Viasat’s Inmarsat takeover

LONDON: Britain’s competition regulator has referred Viasat’s $7.3 billion takeover of satellite rival Inmarsat for an in-depth investigation, it said on Friday, raising the prospect of the deal being delayed.

United States-based Viasat’s plan to buy the British company was announced late last year and was expected to close in the second half of this year, but the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has 24 weeks to complete its investigation.

The CMA’s concern is that the tie-up could hamper competition in the aviation connectivity market, leading to airlines facing higher prices for on-board Wi-Fi.