The SES claim against Intelsat for a potential $1.8 billion has been postponed.

Judge Keith Phillips, who is overseeing Intelsat’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy reconstruction, had earlier confirmed that the trial date for the SES vs Intelsat dispute over FCC payment allocations would start on September 20th. A new date has not – as yet – been circulated.

It is understood that both parties have requested a trial where evidence is heard in person (and not via Zoom) and this means that a courtroom has to be found to accommodate witnesses and their counsel. Judge Phillips, who is overseeing Intelsat’s bankruptcy, has also previously said that the anticipated two-week trail would begin “no later than October 30th”.

SES has already had denied its request for a speedier judgement in its claim.

The trial, when it happens, will focus on two elements: the SES claim for a larger share (worth $421 million) of the FCC’s ‘incentive’ payments that flowed from the C-Band Alliance’s reorganisation of C-band frequencies over the US. The second, and potentially much larger element, demands damages and compensation for what SES claims is a deliberate breach of their contract with Intelsat.

Other posts by Chris Forrester:

1. IRIS2 contract signing at year-end
2. Icasa “over-reached” in confiscating StarSat kit
3. Starlink tests D2C in Romania, US, Japan
4. European telcos unite against Starlink D2C
5. Rivada insists “deadlines will be met”
6. Ergen will gain “greatest opportunity” by losing DISH
7. Rivada’s latest problems could be fatal
8. SES confirms 25c dividend
9. Intelsat gets licence to rescue Galaxy 25

Categories: Blogs, Inside Satellite, Policy, Regulation

Tags: FCC, Intelsat, SES