DICT welcomes Starlink

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has proudly announced that Starlink, the satellite internet service provided by SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, has launched in the Philippines. This marks a significant milestone as the country becomes the first in Southeast Asia to benefit from this innovative technology, promising impressive download speeds of up to 200 Mbps.

According to DICT Secretary Ivan John E. Uy, the introduction of Starlink in the Philippines is a game-changing development that will augment and complement existing broadband capacities, paving the way for faster broadband speed and improved connectivity. The service will be especially impactful in areas where internet connectivity has been difficult or impossible.

Uy emphasized the positive impact of Starlink’s arrival, stating, “In welcoming this new technology that is Starlink, our BroadBand ng Masa can now provide free high-speed internet access to our geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas in the Philippines, ensuring that no Filipino is left behind.”

Starlink’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network constellation is poised to significantly enhance internet access in unserved and underserved areas across the Philippines. As of February 2023, Starlink has over 3,580 operational satellites, with plans to launch as many as 40,000 satellites to deliver high-speed, low-cost internet to remote regions across the globe. This launch in the Philippines is a crucial step towards achieving this goal.