In a meeting last month with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, a SpaceX representative said the firm wants to expand investments and make the Starlink service available in Vietnam, providing broadband Internet services in hard-to-reach areas.
Relevant equipment for the service was brought to the Vietnam International Innovation Expo 2023 (VIIE 2023) at Hoa Lac, Hanoi for limited use. The event runs from Oct. 28 to Nov. 1.
A standard Starlink set would include an antenna to receive satellite signals, along with a router to broadcast internet signals through Wi-Fi, and connective cables. There are also Starlink sets for businesses and power users, with larger equipment.
The antennas must be placed under clear views of the sky, but do not need a separate power source as a connection with the router will suffice. The feature allows Starlink to be used in areas with limited power availability.
The antennas are also resistant to dust and water per IP54 standards. They can also orient themselves to catch satellite signals most efficiently. The manufacturer said the antennas might take a few minutes to search for satellite signals.
Users will configure the system settings through the Starlink application on their smartphones. The app will help users find the location of the Starlink satellites to orient the antennas and configure the internet settings.
After configuration, routers will broadcast Wi-Fi signals to be used. An adapter would be required for those who prefer Ethernet connections.
Cloudy skies in Hanoi may affect signal strength between the antennas and the satellites. Download speed, as seen at the Expo, is at 150-190 Mbps, which is higher than the average Internet speed in Vietnam according to Speedtest. Certain Vietnamese Internet service providers have already provided broadband Internet speed at 1 Gbps.
A user tries the Starlink service in Hanoi.
Experts said satellite internet solutions are expensive, and their speed and stability pale in comparison to cable Internet services. Vietnam has also not approved this service for use.
However, if such a service is available, it would be a viable option to provide Internet where optic fiber systems find it harder to access, such as remote areas, islands or at sea.
Starlink has been available in Southeast Asia, specifically the Philippines and Malaysia, since earlier this year, and is expected to be available in other countries in 2024. In the Philippines, the service's equipment costs ₱29,320 ($515), and the monthly fee is ₱2,700.
