Elon Musk shared a post about Starlink in Vietnam.

Under Vietnamese regulations, SpaceX must first establish a legal business entity in Vietnam and register an investment project with the Ministry of Finance. Only after completing these steps can the company apply for a telecommunications service license from the Department of Telecommunications.

Responding to VietNamNet regarding the pilot phase of Starlink services, Deputy Director Nguyen Phong Nha said that although the government has approved Starlink's pilot deployment in Vietnam, SpaceX has not yet submitted its licensing documents.

"Starlink has been approved by the government for pilot testing in Vietnam. The Department of Telecommunications is also preparing to coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies to expedite the licensing process for SpaceX to provide satellite Internet services in the country," Nha stated.

As per current procedures, SpaceX must establish a local entity and complete its investment registration with the Ministry of Finance. Once done, the company may proceed to apply for a license to offer telecommunications services from the Department of Telecommunications under the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Earlier, Deputy Minister Pham Duc Long noted that once a company providing low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite services finalizes its investment procedures and establishes a legal presence in Vietnam, it will be allowed to officially launch services as early as Q4 2025.

Deputy Minister Long added that Vietnam will issue controlled pilot licenses for LEO satellite telecommunications services to companies that qualify.

The Ministry's goal is to enable licensed companies to officially operate LEO satellite services starting in Q4 2025, provided they meet all investment and legal establishment requirements.

At present, Viettel is the only local company to have publicly expressed interest in the LEO satellite sector.

Viettel's Chairman, Tao Duc Thang, shared that the group is actively researching LEO satellite technologies, although no results have been disclosed yet.

This suggests that the Ministry of Science and Technology is indeed aiming to pave the way for Elon Musk’s Starlink to launch in Vietnam.

Previously, media reports indicated that SpaceX, Elon Musk's aerospace company, was planning to invest approximately USD 1.5 billion in Vietnam to roll out Starlink services. The initiative aims to deliver high-speed satellite Internet across Vietnam, particularly in remote, mountainous, border, and island regions where traditional Internet infrastructure is limited.

The deployment of Starlink is expected to accelerate Vietnam’s digital transformation and narrow the digital divide. However, successful implementation will require strong collaboration between SpaceX and domestic telecom providers, along with investments in infrastructure and the supply chain.

This collaboration could help bridge the digital divide, making digital services more accessible to all Vietnamese citizens, especially those in underserved areas lacking fixed broadband or 4G/5G networks.

Despite this potential, SpaceX has yet to reveal its business model for Starlink services in Vietnam.

Previously, during a working visit to the United States, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc delivered the official decision allowing SpaceX to conduct a pilot program for its satellite Internet services in Vietnam.

According to Decision No. 659 issued on March 23 by the Prime Minister, SpaceX, the operator of Starlink, is permitted to implement a controlled pilot program for LEO satellite-based telecommunications services nationwide.

The pilot period may last up to five years, beginning from the date the SpaceX-established entity in Vietnam receives its telecommunications business license, and ending no later than January 1, 2030.

Thai Khang