Converge may bring Starlink to the Philippines next year!


Satellite internet is faster and more reliable than fiber ones, but is also more expensive.

Converge and SpaceX have been rumoured to agree with a partnership last year, but Converge retracted that such a partnership may not happen in 2021 but rather “in a year and a half”.

Fast forward to 2022, we finally have reported that Converge and Starlink’s partnership is soon to become official. Last February, Converge was reported to be “in talks” with the satellite company to bring Starlink into the country.

According to Converge founder Anthony Uy, the two companies have settled with an agreement to lease fiber lines and other equipment from Converge to SpaceX. Starlink has provided Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites last year in several regions of the globe last year. Satellite internet promises to bring high-speed internet connection in any area, including remote ones which are usually not reachable from signal towers.

“We leased our infrastructure to them and some earth stations,” Uy said. “In fact, in one of the [sites], the backbone and capacity, we are the ones providing it,” he added.

Supposedly, Starlink’s internet services are to arrive this year but have been moved to 2023, according to the latest development reports.

While there is no other news about the partnership, the fact that Converge has leased their equipment and fiber optics to SpaceX is a sign that the two are getting somewhere. We just hope that satellite internet is successful as we had hoped. The possibility of Starlink arriving in the Philippines has increased, all thanks to the Full Foreign Ownership policy.

Source: Inquirer, Rappler