Keysight Technologies, Inc. has announced it has completed its acquisition of Spirent Communications plc. This acquisition adds complementary software test automation, network assurance, and global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) capabilities, which are scalable across communications, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, automotive, and general electronics.
By combining Spirent’s domain expertise with Keysight’s comprehensive solutions, the integration delivers end-to-end capabilities that accelerate innovation and create greater value for customers worldwide.
Commenting on the announcement, Satish Dhanasekaran, president and chief executive officer, Keysight, said, “Today marks a milestone for Keysight as we officially welcome Spirent into our company. By combining Keysight’s leading design, emulation, and test expertise with Spirent’s strengths in satellite emulation, positioning, and network automation, we are expanding the breadth of our portfolio to better serve our customers. This acquisition accelerates our strategy and positions us to deliver even greater value in a rapidly evolving technology landscape.’’
The acquisition expands Keysight’s software and assurance portfolio with capabilities in network automation, lifecycle management, and GNSS testing. It provides customers with integrated lifecycle support across design, validation, deployment, assurance, and optimization, adding solutions for monitoring and analytics that strengthen Keysight’s end-to-end offerings. The combined capabilities streamline lab-to-live transitions, enhance reliability across 5G, SD-WAN, cloud, autonomous, and private network environments, and advance simulation tools for satellite modelling and 6G development.
The aggregate transaction consideration totalled approximately £1.16 billion (around US $1.46 billion) on a fully diluted basis. Spirent shareholders will receive a total of 202.5 pence per share, comprising 199 pence in cash, and the previously paid special dividends of 3.5 pence per share.
Meanwhile, Kailash Narayanan, senior vice president, Keysight Technologies, said, “The acquisition of Spirent enables Keysight to deliver industry-leading, comprehensive test and assurance solutions. Spirent’s industry-leading positioning technologies portfolio strengthens our end-to-end solutions across commercial communications and aerospace defense, especially as applications such as non-terrestrial networks, Low earth orbit constellations and emerging 6G standards gain traction over the next few years. With this, Keysight is empowering customers to innovate faster, improve network quality, and scale securely across industries.”
The completion of this transaction follows the satisfaction of all regulatory conditions outlined in prior announcements, including clearances from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the UK Competition and Markets Authority, the French Ministry for the Economy, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) in China.
In accordance with the consent decree entered with the DOJ and undertakings made to SAMR, Keysight and Spirent have agreed to divest Spirent’s high-speed Ethernet, network security, and channel emulation business lines. This divestiture is expected to be completed on October 16, 2025.
