Vietnam Government has gone ahead and officially granted SpaceX the approval to function its Starlink satellite internet service in Vietnam, thereby marking a major step forward when it comes to the expansion of digital connectivity.
The Ministry of Science and Technology has, as a matter of fact, issued licenses for fixed as well as mobile satellite telecommunications services, along with the authorization to use radio frequencies as well as equipment. But as far as an official commercial launch date is concerned, it is yet to be announced.
Starlink Services Vietnam Co., Ltd., which is the local entity established by SpaceX, is authorized to go ahead and roll out four gateway stations as well as almost 600,000 user terminals across the country at the initial pilot phase.
This kind of cap will most likely ensure effective management when it comes to radio frequency resources while at the same time maintaining regulatory oversight.
The approval of Starlink satellite internet service in Vietnam happens to be based on a controlled pilot model that enables SpaceX to invest in as well as operate satellite telecommunications services throughout Vietnam, subject to national defense as well as security needs.
Notably, this pilot program is going to last five years from the date the company starts getting its full telecommunications business license and should end before January 1, 2031.
It is worth noting that satellite internet services are anticipated to complement the present terrestrial networks of Vietnam, especially in remote, mountainous border areas along with island areas where the traditional infrastructure is very scarce.
Local authorities also go on to view satellite connectivity as a significant backup during natural disasters, because that’s when the ground-based systems get disrupted.
The decision indeed marks a major step in the digital development of Vietnam, said the experts, as its effect on the domestic telecom market may as well be pretty limited because most areas happen to be already covered. Rather, satellite internet is regarded as a useful addition that actually enhances the network dependability and also widens the access where required.
Interestingly, Vietnam has gone on to build one of the most dynamic internet markets that exists in Southeast Asia, with internet penetration going beyond three-quarters of the population and mobile connectivity offering the primary access channel for most of the users.
Urban areas also have widespread fiber-optic broadband connectivity and 4G coverage, whereas the 5G services are getting gradually expanded throughout major cities.
The digital transformation strategy of the country has indeed made telecommunications infrastructure a national priority, which supports e-government and e-commerce along with the broader digital economy.
Viettel, VNPT as well as MobiFone, which are the major domestic operators, dominate the market and have invested heavily in fiber-to-the-home networks along with nationwide mobile coverage. Due to this, even the most populated areas have quite dependable internet access, and that too at competitive speeds.
But connectivity gaps do remain in remote mountainous terrains and border areas, as well as offshore islands, where rolling out terrestrial infrastructure is expensive as well as technically a steep task.
Vietnam also depends pretty heavily on undersea fiber-optic cable systems when it comes to international bandwidth, which are occasionally disrupted due to faults or maintenance, therefore affecting the connection speeds.
In this regard, satellite internet services are indeed viewed as a complementary solution so as to enhance resilience and at the same time extend coverage throughout hard-to-reach areas.