SpaceX ties up with Henry Sy Jr. to bring satellite internet to PH

SM Investments co-vice chairman Henry Sy Jr. and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk have announced their partnership to bring satellite internet service, Starlink, across the Philippines.

Sy-led Data Lake Inc. has inked an agreement with Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) to be the first Starlink integrator in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

According to Data Lake Inc. chairman Anthony Almeda, since the Philippines is an archipelago, connecting the country to the rest of the world "often requires extensive infrastructure."

Starlink is "uniquely capable" of delivering "high-bandwidth, reliable internet" to the country, according to Almeda, because it has the largest constellation of satellites in orbit.

For those unaware, the Philippines comprises more than 7,600 islands, many of which are remote and mountainous, making it difficult for telcos to provide internet service.

Starlink from SpaceX utilizes a network of thousands of low-orbit satellites to give internet connection to remote places or when communications are interrupted by natural disasters.

Starlink plans to launch its service in the Philippines "in the coming months," SpaceX VP for Starlink sales, Jonathan Hofeller, said.

Currently, Starlink provides low-latency and high-speed broadband internet in over 40 countries.

Last July, a Starlink official said that the Starlink Router Kit would be available for USD 599 (around PHP 34K), with monthly service fees for commercial coverage beginning at USD 99 (roughly PHP 5K).

Starlink initially stated that it would begin its services in the Philippines by the end of 2022. However, this date has been moved to 2023. Several private and public entities, including the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and its Broadband ng Masa program, which aims to bring internet access to far-flung areas of the country, have already outlined some of the projects they plan to implement with SpaceX's satellite internet service.

Via Inquirer

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