Telecommunication companies plan to collaborate with SpaceX to enable Starlink internet service in rural regions across the Philippines. Transpacific Broadband Group International, Inc. (TBGI) and fiber-optic internet provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc., plan to negotiate with SpaceX’s Starlink division to connect rural communities where internet is unavailable and/or unreliable.
“LEOSAT [Low Earth Orbit Satellite] technology offers a unique combination of affordability, speed, flexibility, ease-of-setup and a 27-millisecond low-latency bandwidth to deliver a superior online experience in the next level internet- of-things,” the group said, according to a report by Philippines CNN. TBGI stated it hopes that the government could pay for the Starlink Kits that would enable Filipino households and businesses located in rural regions with "advanced satellite internet services to meet their growing requirements for fast and reliable connectivity" by 2022.
Ever since SpaceX rolled out Starlink beta service across sixteen countries this year, the company has collaborated with different telecom companies to set up Starlink ground stations that connect to internet data centers. The satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) receive internet information from the ground stations connected to terrestrial internet infrastructures. SpaceX has also worked with authorities across the world to provide free internet service to rural communities for at least one year to demonstrate their network's capabilities.
Converge ICT Solutions is reportedly in discussions with SpaceX to collaborate in the construction of Starlink ground stations, also known as Starlink Gateways. “We would like to utilize low-orbit satellite technology to bridge the gap in areas that are unreachable with fiber optic cables so that we can provide quality broadband connectivity to the majority of our people,” Converge ICT Solutions CEO Dennis Anthony Uy stated.
TBGI also has plans to set-up ground stations for “LEOSAT earth [ground] stations of Starlink”. It signed a three-year deal with ABS Global Ltd in late-October to build the infrastructure. SpaceX already operates around 1,740 satellites out of over 20,000 that could eventually be deployed if the company receives the regulatory approvals and if there is enough market demand in the next ten years.
Featured Image Source: SpaceX Starlink.com
About the Author
Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo
Evelyn J. Arevalo joined Tesmanian in 2019 to cover news as a Space Journalist and SpaceX Starbase Texas Correspondent. Evelyn is specialized in rocketry and space exploration. The main topics she covers are SpaceX and NASA.
