Inmarsat to move shipping comms from Netherlands to Greece

British satellite communications company Inmarsat said on Wednesday it is nearing an agreement to move some of its ground communications systems from the Netherlands to Greece, resolving a conflict over 5G bandwidth use.

The systems based in Burum, Netherlands, use the 3.5Ghz frequency range for emergency communications with sea traffic. Their location has been in doubt for years as the Dutch government plans to use the 3.5Ghz range for 5G telecommunications.

Inmarsat said it received confirmation from the Greek Ministry of Digital Governance last week that it will be able to continue using a new ground station in Thermopylae, Greece. It expects the agreement to be finalised within several weeks.

“We will continue to operate within the current spectrum from Burum before completing our migration to our new location in Greece,” a spokesperson said.

Inmarsat was acquired this year by Viasat VSAT.O of the United States for $7.3 billion.

The Dutch 5G roll out has lagged behind that of other European countries because of disputes over the use of the 3.5GHz bandwidth, with key auctions now expected no earlier than spring 2024.

Source: Reuters (Reporting by Toby Sterling; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)