SpaceX sets up Starlink center in Vietnam, not every country has it

(Dan Tri) - SpaceX is preparing a ground station in Vietnam for Starlink satellites and plans to deploy many other stations.

Center located in Vietnam

According to Reuters, the first ground station in Vietnam could be operational as early as May or June in Da Nang city and could be part of a network of up to 15 stations across the country.

This move signals the launch of Elon Musk's company in Vietnam because in order for Starlink to operate in our country, Elon Musk's company must establish a business in Vietnam.

The plan would make Vietnam home to one of the largest Starlink networks in the region.

Starlink Internet service currently operates in more than 100 countries and territories, but did not disclose how many ground stations it has.

Note that not all countries have ground stations - these are the relay stations that connect to satellites and relay data to users.

Starlink Installation Pros, a company that specializes in installing Starlink services, said Starlink has about 150 ground stations globally, nearly half of which are in the United States.

At the working session of Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung and the Ministry of Science and Technology on April 1, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Chung - Director of the Department of Telecommunications said that Starlink is preparing documents to apply for a license to operate in Vietnam.

Previously, according to Decision 659 dated March 23 of the Prime Minister , billionaire Elon Musk's Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) corporation was granted a controlled pilot license to deploy Internet service via Starlink satellite in Vietnam.

The deployment of Starlink in Vietnam will help users in remote areas have access to high-speed Internet (Illustration: TS).

SpaceX conducts a controlled pilot investment in telecommunications network services using low-orbit satellite technology in Vietnam, but still adheres to the principles of ensuring national defense and security.

Vietnam has huge market potential for Starlink

Sharing with Dan Tri reporter, an expert in the space industry (a company based in France) assessed: "Vietnam has great market potential for Starlink. With a population of more than 100 million people, a rapidly growing economy and the government's policy of promoting digitalization, the demand for high-speed, stable Internet is increasing, especially in areas that are not fully covered."

"Vietnam is also among the leading countries in Southeast Asia in terms of digital services and online engagement. Starlink has a great advantage in rural and remote areas, where fiber optic cable deployment is expensive and time-consuming. In addition, with a long coastline, many fishing boats and islands, Vietnam has a high strategic need for satellite connectivity," the expert assessed.

Accordingly, Starlink Internet can provide important digital infrastructure to hard-to-reach areas, supporting essential services.

In education, this technology will help students in disadvantaged areas access online learning platforms, participate in virtual classrooms, and tap into global educational resources that they previously had no access to.

In the medical field, Starlink can connect remote medical stations with central hospitals, effectively supporting remote medical examination and treatment, more accurate disease diagnosis and timely emergency coordination.

Starlink satellite dishes can be installed on ships to provide Internet access in the middle of the ocean (Photo: FreeThink).

For the maritime economy, satellite Internet systems provide essential support for fishing vessels and offshore operations, helping to maintain communications, ensure crew safety, optimize logistics management and access to markets.

In the defense and security sector, Starlink provides broadband connectivity with low latency and high encryption capabilities, supporting operations at military bases, enhancing border security, and improving emergency response efficiency.

In addition, private enterprises, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in remote areas, will also benefit greatly from this technology. Thanks to stable connections, they can connect to e-commerce platforms, use cloud computing tools and access international markets, promoting local economic development.

The benefits of Starlink have been demonstrated in many real-world scenarios, with clear impacts in different contexts.

Effective solution in natural disasters or network incidents

Satellite internet like Starlink can play an important complementary role to existing telecommunications infrastructure, helping to expand connectivity over a wider area and ensure service continuity.

First of all, Starlink can be an effective backup solution in the event of natural disasters or network failures, when fiber optic systems and mobile networks are affected. Maintaining connectivity in times of emergency is a key factor to ensure timely communication, rescue and response.

Additionally, satellite Internet helps extend coverage to areas where cellular or fiber optic networks are not economically feasible.

Additionally, in the event of delays in the construction of telecommunications infrastructure, Starlink can serve as a temporary but effective solution, enabling rapid connectivity deployment without depending on the completion schedule of traditional infrastructure projects.

Starlink has been deployed in Antarctica to serve researchers (Photo: X).

In particular, Starlink can also support data transmission for mobile networks in rural areas, helping to improve the quality of mobile broadband services. Thanks to that, people in remote areas can still enjoy stable connections, serving work, study and other essential needs in today's digital life.

According to this expert, Starlink can become a driving force for comprehensive digital transformation. By providing stable connectivity to every region across the country, Starlink ensures that no one is left behind in Vietnam's digitalization roadmap.

This service supports the expansion of key areas such as digital government, online education, telemedicine, fintech and smart agriculture, which are important pillars of the digital economy.

Along with that , expanding satellite Internet connectivity can bring many opportunities for businesses and startups in remote areas, helping them easily participate in global e-commerce.

Thanks to stable connections, satellite Internet also facilitates Vietnamese workers to participate in the digital labor market and provide information technology services to international partners.

In the smart agriculture and industry sector, the presence of satellite Internet will help IoT systems in agriculture, logistics and manufacturing to operate more efficiently with consistent connectivity.

For the tourism industry, especially at resorts on remote islands, having a strong Internet system will bring a better experience to international visitors.

Benefits of Satellite Internet in Some Countries

In Ukraine, after Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine in 2022, SpaceX provided thousands of Starlink receivers to ensure connectivity.

The system has significantly assisted in maintaining military communications, coordinating humanitarian efforts and providing Internet access to war-torn areas, amid severe disruptions to traditional telecommunications infrastructure.

Starlink helps support stable connectivity during the conflict in Ukraine (Photo: Defense Express).

In Chile, Starlink has helped bridge the digital divide in education by deploying internet connectivity to schools in Caleta Sierra and Sotomó — areas that previously had no internet.

Thanks to that, students and teachers here can access digital educational tools, opening up new learning and development opportunities.

In the Philippines, the government has approved Starlink to provide internet to underserved areas, especially on remote islands.

Not only does this improve connectivity for local communities, it also plays a vital role in education, maritime operations, natural disaster response and electoral process support.

Ensure connectivity by combining with fiber optic, 4G/5G

While weather can impact satellite signals, the system has been designed with multiple mitigations to ensure connectivity.

First of all, the dense satellite network helps maintain a seamless signal even when some satellites are affected by adverse weather conditions. In addition, the use of transceivers using smart phased array antenna technology, capable of monitoring and adjusting connections in real time.

Additionally, a hybrid solution combining satellites and other technologies such as fiber optics or redundant 4G/5G mobile networks can also be applied to ensure service availability.

Hardware upgrades also need to be continuously deployed, combined with network optimization using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technology to improve performance.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/cong-nghe/spacex-dat-trung-tam-starlink-tai-viet-nam-khong-phai-nuoc-nao-cung-co-20250403030119545.htm