Inaprubahan ng National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ang aplikasyon ng Starlink Internet Services Philippines Inc. na pag-aari ng American tech billionaire na si Elon Musk.
Sa pahayag, sinabi ng NTC na inaprubahan nila ang Starlink bilang Value-Added Service (VAS) provider.
Ang Starlink ay bahagi ng Space Exploration Technologies Corp.’s low earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet technology ng kompanya ni Musk.
Una rito, inihayag ng Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) na ang Pilipinas ang unang bansa sa Southeast Asia na makakagamit ng Starlink technology.
Sinabi ni Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez na isasara nila ang usapan sa SpaceX’s sa nalalabing panahon ng Duterte administration na magtatapos sa Hunyo 30.
Ayon sa NTC, sa pag-aruba sa rehistrasyon ng Starlink Internet Services Philippines’ — ang wholly-owned Filipino subsidiary, maaari nang mag-alok ng internet access services sa Philippine market ang kompanya sa darating na mga buwan.
"Starlink Philippines’ VAS registration now allows the company to directly access satellite systems, build and operate broadband facilities to offer internet services,” pahayag ng NTC.
Dagdag ng NTC, pinasalamatan ni Atty. Bien Marquez ng Quisumbing Torres ang counsel ng SpaceX, ang ahesiya sa positibong pagtugon sa Starlink’s VAS License.
“We would like to thank the NTC for issuing Starlink’s VAS license 30 minutes after we submitted our application with complete requirements. This shows the government’s seriousness in addressing the connectivity needs of our countrymen in unserved and underserved areas. This will also prepare us in the event of natural disasters and calamities,” pahayag ni Marquez, ayon sa NTC.
Naniniwala naman si NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba, na kasamang makikinabang sa naturang teknolohiya ng Starlink ang mga lugar na walang internet access.
“The NTC is steadfast in helping ensure that roll-out of Starlink’s internet access services will be done expeditiously and professionally,” ani Cordoba.
Ayon sa NTC, ang Starlink ay mayroon umanong high speed low latency satellite internet service na ang download speed ay nasa 100 megabits per second (Mbps) to 200Mbps.
Dagdag pa ng NTC, magagawa sa tulong ng Starlink ang video calls, online gaming, streaming at iba pang high data activities na "historically have not been possible with satellite internet."
“Starlink is expected to cover villages in urban and suburban areas and rural areas that remain unserved or underserved with internet access services. The service is expected to bring cost effective internet access in these areas,” patuloy ng NTC. —FRJ, GMA News
