Vietnam has officially licensed Starlink, the satellite internet venture owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, to operate in the country, marking a notable expansion of the service into Southeast Asia.
The Radio Frequency Management authority announced that Starlink Services Vietnam Co., the local operating entity, is initially permitted to deploy four gateway stations and up to 600,000 terminal devices across the country. The license requires Starlink to avoid interference with existing radio communication networks. Authorities said the service would help expand satellite internet connectivity nationwide.
Starlink delivers high-speed internet access to remote and underserved locations worldwide through a network of thousands of low Earth orbit satellites. The technology is particularly relevant for Vietnam, where nearly 80% of the country’s approximately 100 million people are already internet users, but significant gaps in connectivity persist in rural and mountainous regions.
The licensing comes at a diplomatically active moment between Vietnam and the United States. The two countries are in ongoing negotiations over a trade deal following Washington’s decision to impose 20% tariffs on Vietnamese goods. The sixth round of trade talks took place this month without a final agreement being reached. Vietnam’s Communist Party General Secretary To Lam is also expected to travel to Washington for the inaugural meeting of President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace,” an initiative originally focused on post-war rebuilding in Gaza but with a broader mandate.
Despite the tariff pressures, Vietnam’s economy grew 8% last year, defying concerns that U.S. levies would undermine its export-driven growth model. The government is now targeting double-digit growth for the current year.
(Source: Japan Times)
