SpaceX to Launch Starlink Services in Vietnam
Deputy Minister Pham Duc Long mentioned at a conference that the ministry will permit a regulated trial of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite telecommunications services once SpaceX completes its investment processes and forms a legal entity in Vietnam. He indicated that Starlink satellite Internet services are anticipated to launch nationwide by the fourth quarter of 2025.
Earlier in March, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung approved SpaceX’s initiative to provide these services in Vietnam, allowing for unrestricted foreign ownership. The five-year trial is set to begin upon receiving the operating license and must be completed by January 1, 2031. It will be limited to 600,000 subscribers, which includes both direct users and those utilizing local telecom resellers.
SpaceX is mandated to set up a ground gateway station in Vietnam to ensure that all data traffic from Vietnamese users is processed through this domestic station and integrates effectively with the national telecommunications network.
Furthermore, all locally generated user data must be stored within Vietnam to comply with the country's data sovereignty regulations. SpaceX is currently collaborating with the Ministry of Finance to complete the establishment of a fully foreign-owned enterprise in Vietnam.
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Tim Hughes, SpaceX’s senior vice-president for global business and government affairs, recently commended Vietnam’s potential for the company’s satellite Internet expansion. He also noted that SpaceX plans to invest around US$1.5 billion in Vietnam shortly.
Starlink conducted its initial test in Vietnam at the Vietnam International Innovation Expo in October 2023, held in the Hoa Lac region of Hanoi, where it achieved trial speeds of approximately 200 Mbps.
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According to SpaceX, the service offers high-performance streaming, videoconferencing, online gaming, and facilitates remote work. Since its launch in the United States in October 2020, Starlink has grown to serve nearly three million customers across over 100 countries.