SpaceX's talks with Vietnam over Starlink on hold: Sources

Talks between SpaceX and Vietnamese authorities had been under way for months, an industry source said. - Reuters

HANOI: SpaceX's plans to provide communications services to Vietnam with its Starlink satellites have been put on hold, three sources familiar with the matter said, halting support for Vietnamese coast guard drones.

The nation is planning to upgrade its internet infrastructure after experiencing recent outages at its five major underwater fibre-optic cables. Vietnam also needs satellite service for its vast mountainous areas and at sea, where it is often at odds with China over contested boundaries.