The Philippines is officially the first country in Southeast Asia to welcome the presence of Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starlink after the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) accredited it as an officially licensed satellite internet provider.
The richest man in the world confirmed the news himself on his favorite social media platform with a tweet saying, “Starlink approved by (the) Philippines.”
The information and communication technology agency also encouraged other firms from around the world to set up shop as it promised to make the accreditation process faster and more convenient for companies.
The amended Public Service Act recently allowed 100 percent foreign-owned companies to operate in selected sectors such as telecommunications. The law originally said that companies may not acquire franchises or certifications to operate unless at least 60 percent of the company is Filipino-owned.
Starlink’s satellite service claims to offer a “high-speed, low latency” internet connection, promising speeds of up to 200 Mbps in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas where regular internet connections may be limited or otherwise unavailable.
