Title:Takeover war wages for £2bn satellite maker Inmarsat sending shares into orbit

The threat of a bidding war over Inmarsat sent shares surging nearly 13 per cent.

因收购风波告一段落，英国卫星制造商Inmarsat股票飙升近13%。

The satellite communications company revealed it had fended off a takeover approach from US private equity fund Echostar.

这家卫星通信公司透露，它已拒绝美国同行Echostar Corp的初步合并建议。

Analysts believe the bid could lead to other offers for the British company, which is thought to be worth about £2.4billion.

分析人士认为，这项收购可能会给这家英国卫星公司带来其他出价，据信Inmarsat价值约为24亿英镑。

But concern about UK companies being snapped up by overseas buyers is growing, with critics warning sensitive technologies are being sold with too little attention paid to security risks.

但对英国企业被海外买家抢购的担心正在增加，批评人士警告称，由于对安全风险的关注程度过低，敏感技术正在被出售。

The 2016 sale of ARM Holdings to Japanese group Softbank in 2016 came under fresh scrutiny last week when it emerged part of the firm had been sold to state-backed Chinese buyers, a deal which experts said posed a potential security risk.

2016年，ARM控股(ARM Holdings)被出售给日本软银(Softbank)，上周该公司的一部分被出售给有政府背景的中国买家，专家认为这一交易存在潜在的安全风险。

Yesterday analysts said US-based Echostar owns Hughes Communications and DISH, two rival satellite service firms, and that Inmarsat's spectrum licences would be extremely valuable to it and other operators.

分析师昨日表示，总部设在美国的Echostar公司拥有两家拥有竞争优势的卫星服务公司——Hughes Communication和DISH，Inmarsat的频谱许可证将对该公司和其他运营商极为有价值。

Analysts at RBC said: 'We believe the situation could become a bidding war between multiple potential bidders.'

RBC分析师表示，我们认为这可能会演化为多家潜在投标者之间的竞价战。

Inmarsat is behind technology that tracks aeroplanes and ships, allowing them to communicate with land bases. It controls 13 satellites which are in a fixed orbit around the Earth.

Inmarsat掌握了飞机和船只的跟踪技术，使它们能够与陆地基地进行沟通，控制着在地球周围固定轨道上的13颗卫星。

The company was originally set up by the United Nations in 1979 to enable ships to stay in touch with shore or to call for help in an emergency, with its offices located in London's Euston Tower.

该公司最初成立于1979年，目的是使船只能够与海岸保持联系，或在紧急情况下寻求帮助，其总部设在伦敦的Euston大厦。

But it was privatised in the 1990s after UN member states refused to pay to improve its network. Since then its value has grown as it has expanded into other services such as mobile phone networks and broadband.

但上世纪90年代，随着联合国成员国拒绝支付改善网络建设的费用，它已经私有化。此后，随着其价值不断扩大，已扩大到手机网络和宽带等其它服务。

Yesterday its shares closed 12.7 per cent, or 60.1p, higher at 534p. Interest in Inmarsat comes as a host of multinational companies are looking at investing in satellite networks.

昨日，由于众多跨国公司正考虑投资于卫星网络，Inmarsat股价收盘报12.7%，收于60.1英镑，较上年同期上涨534便士。

Softbank, Google and Facebook are all considering it, while SpaceX has vowed to create a satellite broadband service.

软银、谷歌和Facebook都在考虑收购Inmarsat，而SpaceX则誓言要建立一个卫星宽带服务。

Inmarsat, which employs about 2,000 mostly based in London, gave no value of the Echostar offer in its statement on Friday but said the approach undervalued the firm.

 Inmarsat大约有2,000雇员，主要总部设在伦敦。该组织周五的发言中并未给出Echostar的报价，但表示，其报价低估了该公司的价值。

RBC has said its spectrum could be 1000p per share and pointed to other rival communications providers Via Sat, Eutelsat and SES as possible bidders. Inmarsat's investment in passenger internet services for aeroplanes is also seen as valuable.

加拿大皇家航空航天局表示，它的频谱每股可以达到1000p的，并指出其他竞争对手通信提供商Via Sat、Eutelsat和SES可能成为其他投标人，Inmarsat在航机网络服务方面的投资也被认为是有价值的。

Morgan Stanley analysts said buying Inmarsat and the 13 satellites that provide services to airlines, broadcast media companies and the oil and gas industry, could allow Echostar to outpace Via Sat in the race to achieve fully global coverage.

摩根士丹利的分析师表示，收购Inmarsat以及向航空公司、广播媒体公司及石油和天然气行业提供服务的13颗卫星，将使Echostar能够在这场竞赛中超过Via Sat，实现全球全面报道。

However, others said any takeover could face regulatory hurdles as Britain classes satellite infrastructure as 'strategic'.

不过，另一些人士表示，任何收购都可能面临监管障碍，因为英国的卫星基础设施是“战略性”。