The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is targeting to roll out broadband services in remote and far-flung areas through the satellite technology of billionaire Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) unit in the first quarter of 2023,
This is in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to provide digital connectivity across the many islands of the Philippines by building the country’s digital infrastructure that will also lead to effective e-governance.
Ivan John Uy, DICT secretary, said during the joint press conference with SpaceX the government will fund the rollout of satellite technology in identified geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.
“We’re going to invest in the devices. We will provide for them, until such time our local government can give us feedback that there’s an increase in economic activity in those areas,” Uy said.
DICT is also anticipating the start of the commercial rollout of Starlink Internet Services Philippines Inc.’s broadband service in the country before the end of the year. This will be a low-Earth orbit satellite system designed to deliver broadband internet connectivity at speeds of 100 to 200 megabits per second (Mbps).
“If Elon Musk is very fast in sending his satellite up there, we are also very fast in deploying down those things here, as the President always reminded us, we only have six years and we need to do it fast,” Uy added.
Uy said he is optimistic to launch the services by first quarter of next year.
“I am optimistic, I’m already preparing the documentation, all the requirements as of now so that we’re ready to launch, so to speak,” he said.
Starlink is expected to connect rural and remote communities where connectivity is unreliable or completely unavailable.
Through this initiative, Filipinos in remote areas can have access to education, health services and online banking, among other digital needs.
Rebecca Hunter, SpaceX executive, said Starlink will not compete with the existing telecom providers in the country but will be a complementary connectivity provider to fill in the “gaps” especially in the unserved and underserved areas to further expand connectivity.
In addition, DICT, through its “BroadBand ng Masa” project, is working with Facebook and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority to complete the Luzon Bypass Infrastructure Project — a 240-kilometer fiber corridor connecting the western and eastern modular information technology facilities.
Two cable landing stations located in Baler and Poro Point will increase the total government capacity to 2,000,000 Mbps, which is 50 times the current government capacity of only 40,000 Mbps.
