Europe's Eutelsat, SES set for $6 billion in U.S. spectrum-clearing payments


The logo of European satellite operator Eutelsat is displayed at the company’s headquarters in Issy-les-Moulineaux, near Paris, France, March 30, 2026. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

(Corrects paragraph 3 ⁠to say SES's premarket shares ⁠are seen up 8%, not Eutelsat's)

July ‌27 (Reuters) - Eutelsat and SES stand to receive roughly $6.1 billion in combined payments for helping clear ​satellite spectrum for U.S. wireless ⁠services, they said ⁠on Monday.

Eutelsat expects $504 million in pre-tax payments, ⁠while ‌SES expects about $5.6 billion, under a Federal Communications Commission plan ⁠to make part of the C-band ​spectrum available ‌for mobile networks.

SES shares were seen ⁠rising ​8% in premarket trading.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has approved a framework to ⁠move satellite services out of ​part of the C-band radio spectrum, allowing 160 megahertz of capacity to be used ⁠by telecoms companies for next-generation wireless networks.

The payments depend on the companies moving satellite services from the spectrum by ​deadlines in 2030 ⁠and 2031, while keeping customer services running. ​Both companies will also ‌be reimbursed for eligible ​transition costs.

(Reporting by Leo Marchandon in Gdansk, editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak)

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