According to Do Ba Thich, General Director of Starlink Services Vietnam, a legal entity under Elon Musk's SpaceX, the company is currently preparing the infrastructure needed to provide Starlink satellite internet services in Vietnam but has not disclosed when the service will officially launch.

SpaceX's Vietnam operations remain quiet ahead of launch

Speaking to VietNamNet on June 29, Do Ba Thich said Starlink Services Vietnam is focusing on infrastructure preparations for its satellite internet service and declined to reveal a launch timeline.

Previously, a source told VietNamNet that Starlink's satellite internet service in Vietnam is expected to cost around US$100 per month, in addition to the initial equipment fee.

On February 13, 2026, Vietnam's Radio Frequency Department granted Starlink Services Vietnam Co., Ltd. a license to use radio frequencies and radio equipment.

Under the license, the initial deployment phase will include four gateway stations and support up to 600,000 user terminals in Vietnam. The scale reflects a structured and carefully managed rollout aligned with the country's telecommunications infrastructure development roadmap.

Earlier media reports said SpaceX, Elon Musk's aerospace company, planned to invest US$1.5 billion in Vietnam.

Entering Vietnam extends Starlink's presence across Southeast Asia, following launches in the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Timor-Leste. However, the company is also expected to face significant challenges from the outset.

Starlink unlikely to compete directly with Vietnamese telecom operators

Nguyen Anh Cuong, Deputy Director General of the Telecommunications Authority, said Starlink Services Vietnam has received two licenses authorizing it to provide telecommunications services with network infrastructure as part of a pilot program using low-Earth orbit satellite technology.

The pilot allows a maximum of 600,000 subscribers, equivalent to only about 2.5% of Vietnam's existing fixed broadband subscriber base. As a result, low-Earth orbit satellite services are unlikely to compete directly with the fixed and mobile broadband services currently offered by Vietnamese telecommunications providers.

Nguyen Anh Cuong added that, after receiving its operating licenses, Starlink must fully comply with Vietnam's regulations governing pricing and market competition, just like any other telecommunications provider operating in the country.

Doan Quang Hoan, Vice Chairman of the Radio and Electronics Association, said Vietnam already has a well-developed terrestrial telecommunications infrastructure with extensive coverage and strong service quality, leaving very limited room for satellite internet in the mainstream consumer market.

Should Vietnam develop its own version of Starlink?

According to Doan Quang Hoan, the biggest limitation of satellite internet is not only its relatively high subscription cost but also the expense of user equipment and the complexity of installation. Customers must purchase a satellite dish and related hardware, making the overall cost significantly higher than conventional terrestrial internet services.

As a result, Starlink is unlikely to become a mass-market broadband provider or place meaningful competitive pressure on existing telecommunications networks. Instead, its value is expected to lie in complementing existing infrastructure.

The service is particularly useful in hard-to-reach areas such as remote communities, mountainous regions and offshore islands, where deploying fiber-optic networks is either prohibitively expensive or economically impractical. These are precisely the areas where conventional telecommunications infrastructure remains limited.

Starlink can also serve as backup communications infrastructure during natural disasters, storms, floods or widespread network outages. When terrestrial networks are disrupted, satellite connectivity can help maintain uninterrupted communications.

From an application perspective, Starlink is well suited for specialized sectors such as search and rescue operations, defense and security, education in remote areas, and marine industries including shipping, offshore fishing and offshore oil and gas operations.

Businesses operating in isolated locations, including mining, forestry, small hydropower projects and transportation infrastructure across mountainous terrain, could also become potential customers.

How can Starlink's monthly fee compete with Viettel, VNPT and MobiFone?

Another market segment likely to accept Starlink's higher pricing includes premium services such as remote luxury resorts, yachts and users seeking independent, stable international connectivity.

Overall, Starlink is not entering Vietnam to compete head-to-head with domestic telecommunications operators. Instead, it is targeting niche markets where conventional infrastructure has yet to reach or remains inefficient.

Although the market size may be relatively small, these areas are strategically important for infrastructure security, economic development and maintaining nationwide connectivity.

Within this broader picture, Starlink may not trigger a battle for market share, but it can still serve as an additional layer of telecommunications infrastructure, helping create a more flexible and resilient communications ecosystem.

Thai Khang