The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Friday announced that Starlink of Elon Musk’s SpaceX is in the Philippines, the first country in Southeast Asia to enjoy its services that promises to provide download speeds of up to 200 Mbps.

Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy said that Starlink’s entry to the Philippines will be a game changer, stressing that Starlink will augment and complement existing broadband capacities, enabling faster broadband speed and better connectivity, particularly in areas where connectivity has been difficult or impossible.

“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 will be left behind,” said Uy.

With its Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network constellation, Starlink can improve internet access in unserved and underserved areas in the country.

As of February 2023, Starlink is comprised of over 3,580 operational satellites. But the company aims to have as many as 40,000 satellites to be able to deliver high-speed, low-cost internet to remote regions across the globe. DICT