[Satellite Today 04-16-09] Inmarsat completed the acquisition of Stratos Global Corp. following approval by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission and the Canadian Minister of Industry, Inmarsat announced April 15.
    Stratos will become a wholly owned operating division of the Inmarsat group managed by the existing Stratos management team and reporting directly to Inmarsat at a corporate level. As part of the deal, Inmarsat has segregated its wholesale operations from Stratos operating divisions and will remain committed to a primarily indirect distribution model through its existing channels to market.
    The acquisition of Stratos initially was funded in December 2007, and no additional financing was required to complete the transaction, Inmarsat said.
    Separately, Inmarsat signed new distribution agreements with all of its major partners, with trading under the new agreements beginning immediately. The company also chose Satcom Direct as a new distribution partner for Inmarsat SwiftBroadband services for the corporate, government, and military aviation industries.