Residents of the Philippines will soon be able to sign up for Starlink satellite internet service, marking a first for Southeast Asia.
Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez announced on Thursday the company’s permit application is being processed while SpaceX seeks locations for its gateways.
According to Lopez, SpaceX is setting up a wholly-owned subsidiary in the country and hoping to build three gateways as part of the first phase of their launch, but did not provide a timeline for when that might happen.
When it does it will likely be a welcomed change as the country has one of the worst internet connections in the world, yet has some of the world’s most active social media users.
Lopez said the service will enable faster connection speeds, better connectivity, more capacity for telecommunication services, and better rates for consumers.
“Their system will augment as well as complement existing broadband capacities. This will further capacitate micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), facilitate online learning, e-commerce and fintech,” Lopez said. (via Manilla Bulletin)
SpaceX has launched more than 2,000 satellites into orbit, and plans to have as many as 4,200 in operation within 18 months.
The service currently has more than 250,000 users and is available in nearly 30 countries around the world.
