Starlink can be the new telco player in the Philippines, according to Senator Poe.
Senator Grace Poe was optimistic about the potential of Starlink — Elon Musk’s SpaceX company — to become one of the Philippines’ new players in the telecommunications industry.
According to Senator Poe, Starlink aimed to put 12,000 satellites into low Earth orbit, which would provide high-speed, low-latency, and cheap internet access to anyone who had the proprietary Starlink receiver.
The said project, according to Senator Poe, had been lauded as a “game changer” by the technology community since it could improve internet access among underserved and unserved areas.
In a statement, Senator Poe — who was the chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services — said that it was an exciting possibility as they’re offering satellite technology for connectivity.
SpaceX’s initial cost, according to a report on The Manila Times, would initially be “higher than existing market rates”, but would become more affordable over time.
According to Senator Poe, the cost was quite prohibitive for the regular subscriber as it’s about USD 500 just to set this up or about PHP 25,000 as of this writing.
“That’s not necessarily a bad thing because there’s probably a niche market that will be able to afford this technology. And we are also looking forward that, in the future, with more subscribers, the cost will go down,” Senator Poe said.
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Senator Poe renewed her call for the passage of “Better Internet Bill” (Senate Bill 1831) which would hold local telco players to higher standards, a cause that would be strengthened by the entry of Elon Musk’s Starlink as a new competitor.
The said measure sought to implement high penalties on telecommunications companies that violate their contract.
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