Advanced Television

Global Eagle

Anuvu raises $50m

Anuvu, the new name for the in-flight connectivity business previously known as Global Eagle, has raised $50 million (€44.2m) to fund what they describe as a small batch of geostationary satellites. Global Eagle was rescued out of bankruptcy protection in March 2021 and renamed Anuvu with the new business ordering two satellites out of a […]

December 3, 2021By Chris Forrester

Global Eagle rebrands

Global Eagle Entertainment (GEE), having emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy reconstruction, is rebranding itself. The new name, ANUVU, will cover the new business and its subsidiaries including masFlight, NavAero and Criterion. Global Eagle filed for bankruptcy protection in July 2020 and exited the process in March this year. The problems with Covid and airlines grounding […]

May 28, 2021By Chris Forrester

ABS wins Global Eagle IFE deal

In-Flight Connectivity and entertainment supplier Global Eagle Entertainment (GEE) has signed a capacity agreement with satellite operator ABS. ABS is officially headquartered in Bermuda but operates from Hong Kong. The company is owned by private equity firm Permira. Global Eagle has taken extra capacity on ABS-6 C-band, ABS-3A C-band and ABS-2 in Ku-band beams. GEE […]

May 11, 2021By Chris Forrester

Eutelsat leases Ku satellite to Global Eagle

In-flight communications and entertainment business Global Eagle has leased Ku-band capacity on Eutelsat’s 7A craft. The satellite, launched in 2004 (and with a minimum design life of 15 years) was originally called Eutelsat W3A. When new it had 38 Ku-band transponders. It was renamed Eutelsat 7A in 2011 and operated from 7 degrees East. Global […]

May 4, 2021By Chris Forrester

Global Eagle reinvents inflight entertainment with Iris

Global Eagle, a provider of high-speed connectivity and entertainment solutions for demanding worldwide mobility markets, has introduced Iris, a cost-effective inflight entertainment (IFE) subscription service for airlines. Iris is already used by more than 20 of Global Eagle’s major customers, with most of the company’s client airlines converting to the platform by mid-2021. Iris offers […]

April 20, 2021

Marlink buys Global Eagle’s client base

Satellite maritime communications specialist Marlink has taken over more than 450 VSAT sites in five continents that serve large humanitarian/NGO, Embassy, Oil and Gas and Mining customers, as well as Global Eagle Entertainment’s African fixed site land business. The transaction is the result of an efficient collaboration between Marlink and GEE teams which was aimed […]

March 29, 2021By Chris Forrester

Global Eagle exits Chapter 11

In-Flight Communications specialist Global Eagle Entertainment (GEE) has exited its Chapter 11 bankruptcy reconstruction. The end result is that six of its former lenders now have control over the business although the company has seen $487.5 million of debt and borrowings removed from its obligations. The new owners have also injected $218 million into the […]

March 26, 2021By Chris Forrester

Satellite services consolidation proposed?

Private Equity outfit Apax Partners owns Marlink, a supplier of satellite communications, and is widely reported to be looking to sell. Reportedly it has hired bankers to advise on a sale. However, on January 13th Marlink announced plans to buy satellite solutions provider ITC Global. Nevertheless, there are reports that two normally potential buyers, Speedcast […]

March 22, 2021By Chris Forrester

SES wants Global Eagle debt

In-Flight broadband specialists Global Eagle Entertainment (GEE) filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganisation back in July with around $1.1 billion of debts. It owed many key operators in the satellite industry considerable sums: SES ($26.6 million), Intelsat ($9.8 million), Abu Dhabi’s YahSat ($3.6 million), Hughes/Echostar ($3.1 million), Telesat ($2.5 million) and Asiasat ($960,000). The business […]

October 14, 2020By Chris Forrester

Covid puts Global Eagle into Chapter 11 bankruptcy

In-Flight Entertainment and broadband communications supplier, Global Eagle Entertainment (GEE) has entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company had been clear in the recent past that the near-total collapse of the world’s airline and related passenger traffic was putting the business under strain. Moody’s Investors Services had downgraded GEE’s rating to PD/LD which translates as a […]

July 23, 2020By Chris Forrester