Starlink internet services for home users available by late 2024

The connectivity services for residential subscribers of Starlink—a unit of tech mogul Elon Musk’s SpaceX—will be available in the Philippines only by late 2024 at the earliest as the company faces a supply chain crunch due to global chip shortage.

Jana Ang, head of sales and marketing of Starlink integrator Data Lake Inc., recently told reporters that Filipino home users might be able to have their own Starlink subscription by late 2024 or early 2025, depending on the availability of chips.

These chips are a primary input for the production of Starlink’s satellite dishes. Several industries, including automotive and consumer electronics, have been reeling from the adverse impact of the chip shortage following the slowdown in manufacturing during the pandemic.

She clarified that the scheduled Starlink rollout this quarter would mainly cater to the enterprise segment. About 10,000 units of the satellite-based technology are allocated for the Philippines, she said.

An enterprise kit costs about P201,600 with monthly subscription starting at P28,000 at the lowest, depending on the service package availed by the customer. Ang said the subscription has no lock-in period, which means users can cancel anytime.

The Data Lake official noted there was a strong interest from the enterprise clients to use Starlink as an internet service provider.

She said they recently conducted a demonstration in some rural banks in the country, including those in Sultan Kudarat.
Starlink was able to improve the operations of their automated teller machines (ATMs), which require internet connectivity. Ang noted these ATMs were usually offline due to a connectivity problem.

Meanwhile, Ang shared that a fourth earth station is being eyed to be opened in Davao this year to improve Starlink’s signal in the area. It currently has stations in Nueva Vizcaya, Pampanga and Quezon province.

Starlink is currently awaiting certifications from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) for the roll out of their services in the country. NTC, for its part, is working to fast-track the entry of the satellite-based internet connectivity offering.

The Philippines is set to be the first country in Southeast Asia where the SpaceX division will offer satellite-based internet services. The internet offering, which is expected to be cost effective, targets the underserved and unserved urban, suburban and rural areas.