RESTON, VA. July 1, 2025 – Ligado Networks issued the following statement on the Bankruptcy Court’s recent approval of Ligado’s commercial agreement with AST SpaceMobile.
“We are pleased to announce that the Bankruptcy Court has approved Ligado’s commercial agreement with AST SpaceMobile. This approval brings resolution to several important matters for Ligado, including its lawsuit against Inmarsat, and is a critical milestone towards finalizing the comprehensive restructuring support agreement.”
“Ligado remains fully operational during its restructuring process and continues to provide mobile connectivity through its SkyTerra satellite and Mobile Satellite Services (“MSS”) network. The Ligado MSS network not only supports critical communications upon which government and industry depend, but also now carries the first generation of direct-to-device (“D2D”) services. The hosting of Ligado’s L-Band spectrum on AST SpaceMobile’s advanced low earth orbit satellite network is a sea change with the potential to materially accelerate and expand consumers’ access to space-based broadband D2D services into the future.”
Background
The commercial agreement provides AST with satellite-based usage rights in North America with respect to a portion of Ligado’s L-Band spectrum and 5 MHz available to Ligado in the U.S. through a lease with an affiliate of Crown Castle Investment Corp. Ligado and AST will collaborate to further commercialize these spectrum usage rights, and AST will develop a non-geostationary orbit (“NGSO”) satellite system that leverages these spectrum usage rights to enable space-based broadband D2D and Internet of Things (“IoT”) services. In exchange for providing these rights to AST, Ligado will receive AST SpaceMobile warrants, payments from AST to fund Ligado’s financial obligations under certain underlying spectrum agreements, and economic participation in the revenues from AST SpaceMobile’s D2D and IoT business in the U.S. and Canada.
The Bankruptcy Court-approved Term Sheet agreed upon by Ligado, AST, Inmarsat and Viasat resolves several significant matters. Among other things, Ligado has agreed to stay the lawsuit and release the claims against Inmarsat subject to certain terms and has established revised payment terms under the Cooperation Agreement between Ligado and Inmarsat. In exchange for these benefits, Inmarsat has agreed to provide affirmative regulatory support for the proposed NGSO applications that Ligado and AST plan to file with regulators in the coming months.
The AST commercial agreement represents an essential element of the comprehensive restructuring support agreement (the “Restructuring Support Agreement”) that Ligado announced in January 2025, which is supported by a significant portion of Ligado’s existing creditors (the “Supporting Creditors”). Pursuant to the Restructuring Support Agreement, the Supporting Creditors have agreed to provide a fully backstopped financing commitment in the form of a debtor in possession (“DIP”) facility to fund Ligado during its restructuring process.
About Ligado Networks
Building on 25 years of experience in providing mobile satellite services, our mission is to bring versatile connectivity to the businesses, people, and places that need it most. Our satellite and terrestrial solutions, combined with powerful, lower mid-band spectrum, serve to supplement and broaden mobile coverage across the United States and Canada. For more information, visit www.ligado.com.
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Ligado Networks Media Contact: media@ligado.com
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