Expecting a boost from satellite internet

The pilot policy of controlled telecommunications services using low-orbit satellite technology in Decree 193/2025 of the National Assembly has been concretized by Decision 659/2025 of the Prime Minister. Accordingly, it allows Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) of American billionaire Elon Musk to invest in and provide Starlink satellite internet service in Vietnam.

Clear the internet "white space"

SpaceX's pilot satellite internet service business will be carried out within 5 years from the date the enterprise (DN) established by SpaceX in Vietnam with 100% foreign capital is granted a telecommunications service business license and must end before January 1, 2031.

Two types of satellite internet will be piloted nationwide: fixed satellite service (internet access service; leased lines for mobile receiving and transmitting stations) and mobile satellite service (internet access service at sea and on airplanes). The maximum number of subscribers to be piloted is 600,000.

According to the Frequency Department - Ministry of Science and Technology, Ku band (12-18 GHz) and Ka band (26-40 GHz) are often used in broadband internet satellite services such as Starlink, OneWeb, Telesat. In which, Ka band allows higher data transmission speed and Vietnam has prepared this band for low-altitude satellite internet transmission.

Mr. Vu Hoang Lien, Chairman of the Vietnam Internet Association, assessed that the Prime Minister's decision to allow SpaceX to invest and provide Starlink satellite internet services in Vietnam is a step not only to develop Vietnam-US cooperation but also to demonstrate Vietnam's innovation and integration with the world. This move contributes to creating confidence for foreign investors; it is a "test" step to consider forming a special mechanism to create a breakthrough in science and technology development with a telecommunications enterprise model with no limit on the proportion of foreign investment capital.

According to Mr. Lien, the price of fiber optic internet packages in Vietnam is currently quite cheap, only 200,000-500,000 VND/month. Meanwhile, it is unclear how the Starlink satellite internet business model works in Vietnam, but in other markets, this service costs about 99 USD/month (equivalent to 2.4 million VND/month), not including equipment costs. "Normally, the price of satellite internet services is always higher than other types. However, using satellite internet will be suitable for places where fiber optic telecommunications infrastructure is not yet connected - such as remote areas, on ships, airplanes - and in urgent situations of natural disasters and epidemics" - Mr. Lien acknowledged.

According to the leader of the Vietnam Internet Association, satellite internet cannot completely replace fiber optic cables, but only adds connection space with a certain capacity and is for those who are willing to pay. Therefore, the pilot implementation of satellite internet services will not compete and will not affect Vietnamese internet service providers.

From another perspective, some experts believe that the emergence of Starlink internet could put great pressure on traditional carriers, requiring telecommunications companies to step up infrastructure improvement and 5G coverage.

A Starlink satellite developed by SpaceX Corporation of American technology billionaire Elon Musk. Photo: Bloomberg

Many economic benefits

Dr. Ho Diep - Director of Education Network Company Limited (Edunet), lecturer at Ho Chi Minh City International University - said that the licensing of the pilot deployment of Starlink satellite internet marks an important step forward in covering high-speed internet to hard-to-reach geographical areas, where 3G and 4G networks cannot reach.

Specifically, according to Dr. Diep, satellite internet helps students in remote areas access the digital environment through online learning and access to online documents, thereby continuously updating knowledge and not falling behind in the digital age. In the medical field, this internet service supports remote medical examination and treatment more effectively thanks to unlimited connection range, especially in the case of natural disasters and urgent epidemics. In the agricultural field, satellite internet will promote high-tech farming and production without geographical limitations, and can be carried out in places with the most suitable soil and climate, instead of having to choose the area to produce 3G, 4G and 5G network infrastructure. At the same time, the Starlink satellite internet pilot is also an opportunity to promote the development of the high-tech industry. "These benefits have actually been proven in other markets, such as the US," said Dr. Diep.

However, Mr. Diep pointed out that there are still many challenges when deploying satellite internet in Vietnam. In particular, the biggest barrier lies in the service price, which is about 20 times higher than 4G and 5G networks and far beyond the affordability of many people. "Vietnam has many areas with complex mountainous terrain, which can cause connection interruptions. In addition, network security and data security are also concerns," Mr. Diep said.

Dr. Ho Diep proposed to include more Vietnamese units and individuals in deploying satellite internet services and building a legal framework for data security when deploying this network. "Satellite internet brings many economic benefits, so Russia and China have deployed their own systems, Sphere and SpaceSail respectively. The investment cost is very large, about 10 billion USD, so Vietnam also needs to consider more about the effectiveness" - Mr. Diep suggested.

Serves multiple purposes

Satellite Internet is used by countries for many purposes, including providing Internet connectivity in remote areas without fiber optic infrastructure, supporting disaster relief, military communications, business services, and education.

In developed countries, people often use it for personal needs such as surfing the web, distance learning, watching videos, while most developing countries use this service to serve government agencies or the military. For example, in the UK, Starlink will be available from 2021, mainly serving individual users in remote areas. In Australia, Sky Muster satellites serve people and businesses while in the US, it is also used for military purposes.

X.Mai

Source: https://nld.com.vn/ky-vong-vao-xung-luc-tu-internet-ve-tinh-196250401202445411.htm