SpaceX to launch Starlink satellite service in the Philippines, a first in Southeast Asia
- The company is setting up a wholly owned subsidiary in The Philippines, though a timeline or investment figure for the launch has not yet been specified
- The Philippines has one of the worst internet connections, yet is dubbed the social media capital of the world and has 74 million internet users
Billionaire Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies Corp (SpaceX) will launch its satellite broadband service in the Philippines, a first in Southeast Asia, the trade secretary said on Thursday.
SpaceX’s business permit application is being processed while the company scouts locations for its gateways, said Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.
The company is setting up a wholly owned subsidiary in The Philippines, and aiming to deploy three gateways in the first phase of their launch. Lopez did not specify a timeline or investment figure for the launch.
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That is good news for The Philippines which has one of the worst internet connections in the world, yet one of the highest mobile penetration rates in the region at 138 per cent. The Philippines has 74 million internet users with netizens spending 10.5 hours online marking it as the longest time spent across the world.
For that reason it has been dubbed the social media capital of the world and it ranks 6th in the list of countries with the most Facebook users. E-commerce sales grew by US$3.6B in 2020 at a phenomenal growth rate of 43 per cent, with projections spiralling to US$12B in 2025.
While The Philippines has some of the world’s most avid social media users, 4G speeds in the country of 105 million people are among the lowest in the 10-nation Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region.
SpaceX’s Starlink uses a network of more than 1,400 satellites to provide internet access to far-flung regions or when communications are disrupted during natural disasters. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Additional reporting by the South China Morning Post
