The Merah Putih 2, a satellite made by French-Italian joint venture Thales Alenia Space on an order placed by state-owned telecommunication firm PT Telkom, is envisioned in this undated artist’s illustration. The Indonesian satellite was launched successfully into orbit on Feb. 21, 2024 aboard Falcon 9 of Elon Musk’s SpaceX. - Jakarta Post/ANN
JAKARTA (Jakarta Post/ANN): The Indonesian Communications and Information Ministry says Elon Musk’s SpaceX has obtained the necessary permit to operate Starlink satellite internet service and is cleared to roll out test runs in Nusantara Capital City (IKN) in May.
"We are expecting the trial to use one ground station [...]," Wayan Toni Supriyanto, the ministry’s post and informatics management director general, said on Wednesday.
Starlink, a wholly owned subsidiary of United States aerospace firm SpaceX, obtained its operating permit after fulfilling the hub development requirement and device standards of the ministry’s Post and Informatics Resources and Facilities Directorate General.
Wayan added that Starlink was now in the process of applying for the licenses for internet service provider (ISP) and very small aperture terminal (VSAT), which it needed to offer direct-to-consumer services in the country.
“It is possible that the company has complied with the VSAT [requirements],” Wayan said, but underlined that it still needed to establish local cooperation on network access protection. “Perhaps the cooperation agreement has not been finalized yet,” he said.
He further explained that there will be a difference between the global Starlink and Starlink Indonesia, in which the later would be a telecommunications provider.
“The global [operation] is Starlink. As for Starlink Indonesia, it will hold VSAT and ISP licenses, just like [other internet] providers in Indonesia. They have to buy internet [access] and equipment from Starlink global,” said Wayan.
Starlink has been selected as the ISP for Nusantara and its surrounding area, as the government deemed it offered reliable network coverage for outlying regions in the country.
"It is suitable for outermost regions with challenging geographical locations," Communications and Information Minister Budi Arie Setiadi said on March 22, adding that this was probably due to its satellite internet technology.
Although the company was welcomed as a much-anticipated network provider in Indonesia, Budi said Starlink must still comply with local regulations by establishing local network operation centers (NOCs) under government supervision.
Having foreign ISPs set up their local NOCs allows for better government supervision to create a healthier, more competitive market for all providers.
Its entry to Indonesia, part of Starlink's expansion to South-East Asia, follows its licensing in Malaysia last year to provide internet services and a deal with a Philippines-based firm in 2022.
“What's important is that we must have fair business [competition] with a level playing field," Budi said on Thursday.
Starlink, which owns around 60 percent of roughly 7,500 telecommunications satellites orbiting Earth, is the dominant player in the satellite internet sector. - Jakarta Post/ANN
