Intelsat, SES Trial Starts as Rivals Dispute C-Band Payments

Intelsat SA and competing satellite company SES Americom Inc. took to court to hash out how to divide billions in federal payments for surrendering access to C-Band spectrum so mobile carriers can use it for 5G technology.

SES maintains that Intelsat breached a 2017 agreement to split 50/50 any C-Band compensation from the Federal Communications Commission. By accepting some $900 million more than SES, Intelsat illegally broke a historic deal between two “arch rivals” working together to achieve a common goal, SES said.

SES asserted a claim against Intelsat of $421 million, representing half of what Intelsat is projected to ...