starlink-to-boost-internet-access-in-indonesia-musk-arrives-in-bali

Tycoon Elon Musk arrived on the Indonesian island of Bali on Sunday ahead of the planned launch of SpaceX's Starlink internet service.

 

The Indonesian government hopes this initiative will boost internet penetration and improve health services in remote areas of the vast archipelago.

 

Chief Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan welcomed Musk at Bali's airport, announcing on Instagram that they would discuss key collaborations, including the Starlink inauguration. Providing equal internet access across Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest economy with over 270 million people spanning three time zones, would enable remote areas to enjoy the same high-speed internet as urban centers, he said.

 

Musk, the billionaire head of SpaceX and Tesla, will launch Starlink alongside Indonesian President Joko Widodo at a community health center in Denpasar, Bali's capital, on Sunday afternoon.

 

The satellite unit of SpaceX has already secured a permit to operate in Indonesia, as confirmed by Communications Minister Budi Arie Setiadi. Starlink has received authorization to function as an internet service provider for retail consumers and has been granted a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) permit.

 

Indonesia is the third Southeast Asian country where Starlink will operate, following Malaysia and the Philippines. Starlink has also been extensively used in Ukraine by the military, hospitals, businesses, and aid organizations.

 

Recently, Ukraine requested SpaceX to prevent Russia from using Starlink terminals for communications in occupied areas.