June 2 (Reuters) - The U.S. government will require

Keysight Technologies ( KEYS ) to divest three of Spirent

Communications' ( SPNUF ) businesses to resolve antitrust concerns

before it buys the British company, a purchase originally valued

at $1.5 billion.

In filings on Monday in the Washington, D.C., federal court,

the U.S. Department of Justice said the divested assets include

Spirent's high-speed ethernet testing, network security testing,

and radio frequency channel emulation businesses.

Keysight ( KEYS ) said in March it planned to sell those businesses

to Viavi Solutions ( VIAV ), once known as JDS Uniphase, for as

much as $425 million in cash.

The Justice Department said Keysight ( KEYS ) and Spirent together

account for 85% of the high-speed ethernet testing market, more

than 60% of the network security market, and more than 50% of

radio frequency channel emulation.

It said a merger without the divestitures might

substantially lessen competition and harm customers.

Keysight ( KEYS ) and Spirent did not immediately respond to requests

for comment.

Based in Santa Rosa, California, Keysight ( KEYS ) agreed in March

2024 to buy Crawley, U.K.-based Spirent for 1.16 billion British

pounds, now about $1.57 billion.

Viavi had agreed earlier that month to buy Spirent, but was

outbid by Keysight ( KEYS ).

($1 = 0.74 pounds)