The London office of Debevoise & Plimpton LLP has advised Eutelsat Communications in an agreement to create a joint venture with ViaSat, Inc.

The joint venture will combine Eutelsat’s current European broadband business with ViaSat’s broadband technologies and consumer internet service provider business expertise. Building on a decade-long relationship between Eutelsat and ViaSat, the partnership will expand Eutelsat’s current wholesale broadband business and launch a new consumer retail service in Europe. It will consist of two businesses – Wholesale Services and Retail Services – coordinating efforts to expand the European broadband market.  The joint venture will initially leverage KA-SAT, Eutelsat’s high capacity broadband satellite.

Established in 1977, Paris-based Eutelsat is one of the world's leading and most experienced operators of communications satellites.  Carlsbad, CA-based ViaSat is a global broadband services and technology company.

Completion of the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, and is currently expected to close during the second quarter of 2016.

Debevoise has advised Eutelsat on a number of previous significant transactions, including its $1.14 billion acquisition of Satélites Mexicanos, which was awarded Global M&A Deal of the Year: Latin America/Mexico by The American Lawyer magazine.

The Debevoise team advising Eutelsat was led by partner Raman Bet-Mansour, and included associates Andrew C. Rearick and Benjamin P. Collins-Wood.  International counsel Timothy McIver advised on merger control matters.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is a premier law firm with market-leading practices, a global perspective and strong New York roots. We deliver effective solutions to our clients’ most important legal challenges, applying clear commercial judgment and a distinctively collaborative approach.