Musk’s Starlink to launch satellite broadband service in PH

SpaceX delivering Starling satellite to space. SCREENGRAB

Billionaire Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies Corp (SpaceX) will launch its satellite broadband service in the Philippines, a first in Southeast Asia, the Philippines’ Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said on Thursday, May 26.

SpaceX’s business permit application is being processed while the company scouts locations for its gateways It is setting up a wholly-owned subsidiary in the country, and aiming to deploy three gateways in the first phase of its launch.

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.

Because it does not need to install wires for connectivity, it can potentially bring high-speed internet to poorly connected, “unreachable” areas.