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Satellite operator Intelsat will acquired by BC Partners, a private equity firm, who will have a majority stake, reports Space Today. The deal values the company at just over $5 billion.
 BC Partners, one of Europe’s largest private-equity firms, will purchase 76 percent of the company from its current owners, another group of private equity companies. Those firms acquired Intelsat in 2004 for $3 billion, and will retain a minority stake in the firm. The deal will add $3.85 billion in the company, bringing its total debt level to over $15 billion.
BC Partners beat out bids from other private equity firms as well as a joint bid by EchoStar and Liberty Media, a controlling shareholder of DirecTV.
Intelsat acquired Loral?s North American satellite assets in February 2004, which helped give Intelsat a significant presence in the North American video and data markets. Intelsat & Panamsat merged in 2005, making Intelsat the world’s largest satellite operator.
Intelsat will reduce its workforce of 1,200 to 1,000 by the end of 2008 under the terms of its merger with PanAmSat. Intelsat’s headquarters are in Bermuda, but the company controls 51 satellites from Washington DC, where about 750 of its employees work.
The sale is not expected to result in changes in top management of the company, although expansion plans for Intelsat’s fleet are uncertain. The deal is expected to close within nine months, pending regulatory approval from the Federal Communications Commission and the Justice Department.
Intelsat is the world?s largest commercial satellite communications services provider followed by SES Global and Eutelsat.
 Intelsat was established in 1964 as the first commercial satellite services provider. It operates a fleet of 51 satellites and a large, complementary terrestrial infrastructure including eight owned teleports, fiber connectivity and more than 50 points of presence in almost 40 cities.
 SES Global, with a fleet of 36 satellites in 25 orbital positions, operates mainly through SES ASTRA in Europe, SES AMERICOM in North America and SES NEW SKIES in Africa, South America, the Middle East and parts of Asia. SES Global was formed in 2001 by SES for the $4.3 billion acquisition of GE Americom, which was completed in November of that year. SES Global operates SES Astra and SES Americom as subsidiaries. SES Global’s largest shareholder is GE Capital, with a 20% holding, according to Wikipedia.
 Eutelsat is a French-based satellite provider. Providing coverage over the entire European continent, as well as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the Americas. In April 2005, the principal shareholders of Eutelsat S.A. grouped their investment in a new entity (Eutelsat Communications), which is now the holding company owning 95.2% of Eutelsat, according to Wikipedia. Eutelsat commercializes capacity on 23 satellites located in geosynchronous orbit between 15 degrees West and 70.5 degrees East.
DailyWireless has more on Satellites and Space including; Intelsat In Play, Intelsat & Panamsat to Merge, Inmarsat F2 Launched, Space Capsule, Global Satellite Providers Now Three, WildBlue Partners with DirecTV & Echostar, John Malone in Space, TerreStar Gets a Slot, BSkyB + Google, SkyNet Satellite Hacked?, Lockheed CEO: Space is Broken, MSS: AWS Alternative?, WildBlue: AT&T?s DeathStar?, and Intelsat Spotbeam Launched.
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