By Trong Dat  February 14, 2026 | 03:00 pm PT
Starlink booth at Vietnam Innovation Day, October 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Trong Dat
Vietnam has officially licensed Elon Musk’s SpaceX to launch Starlink satellite internet services, allowing up to 600,000 connections in its first phase as the country expands digital access.
The Ministry of Science and Technology has granted Starlink Services Vietnam company telecommunications licenses covering both fixed and mobile satellite networks. The company has also received authorization from the Radio Frequency Department to use radio frequencies and operate radio equipment.
The approval allows Starlink to legally build transmission and reception infrastructure in Vietnam without interfering with existing wireless communication systems. Local science and technology departments have been notified to coordinate oversight in line with national regulations.
Starlink has not yet announced an official rollout date.
The move follows a pilot license issued in April 2025 by Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc, making Starlink the first foreign company approved to test satellite internet services in Vietnam. SpaceX subsequently established a legal entity in the country before applying for full commercial licenses.
According to regulators, the initial deployment will include four gateway stations and up to 600,000 user terminals.
Satellite internet is designed to serve areas where fiber-optic cables and traditional telecom infrastructure are unavailable or unreliable. Vietnamese officials say the service will complement ground-based networks, particularly in remote mountainous and island regions.
At a December 2025 press briefing, a representative of the Telecommunications Authority described satellite internet as an important backup channel during storms and floods because it does not rely on terrestrial transmission lines.
“Satellite internet is a crucial reserve channel during natural disasters,” the authority said.
Starlink is part of SpaceX’s broader plan to deliver global broadband coverage through a vast network of low-Earth orbit satellites. By the end of 2025, SpaceX had launched more than 10,000 satellites, though not all are currently operational. The company operates in 125 countries and territories and serves around 5 million users worldwide.
According to Doan Quang Hoan, vice chairman of the Radio-Electronics Association of Vietnam and former head of the Radio Frequency Department, satellite internet could quickly eliminate remaining coverage gaps in Vietnam. However, he said its impact on the domestic telecom market is likely to be limited because current coverage gaps are relatively small and largely confined to areas without access to the national power grid.
