Starlink is now providing satellite internet to several remote islands off northern Vietnam. The move shows how space‑based connectivity can help hard‑to‑reach communities and improve disaster response.

Elon Musk posted on X that 'Starlink brings Internet access to remote places,' highlighting a joint initiative with Hai Phong city. Starlink installed ten standard 4X receiver terminals – six in Cat Hai and four on Bach Long Vi Island – and is offering six months of free service. The installations were carried out with local telecom partners.

The low‑orbit satellite network is intended to coordinate disaster relief and search‑and‑rescue operations, and to act as an emergency fallback when typhoons knock out terrestrial communications. This design aims to keep vital communication lines open during severe weather.

Vietnam’s national telecommunications authority received 254 Starlink Standard 4X units and distributed them to science and technology departments in 13 provinces and cities. The distribution broadens the range of technology available for public use.

Nguyen Minh Duc, country director of Starlink Vietnam, said the service will complement, not replace, existing telecom systems, focusing on isolated regions, remote outposts and islands. The company sees its role as adding resilience to Vietnam’s overall connectivity.